


So my boyfriend might be a mob boss; any advice?

by Agent17



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Codenames, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, M/M, Mention of blood, Not Canon Compliant, Oral Sex, Organized Crime, Smut, Uber driver Bodhi, it got dark, not going to make this too violent (I think), okay I lied, past Jyn/Cassian
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2019-09-22 23:43:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 127,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17069450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agent17/pseuds/Agent17
Summary: It was just supposed to be a temporary thing until he could get a real job. Merely a way to pay his rent. And now Bodhi finds himself possibly mixed up with a crime boss and he's not sure if he should be upset or just go with it. Luke really was right; maybe getting laid was the solution.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This started (as most things do) as a stupid idea I had while sitting in traffic coming home from work. Just a stupid thought about Bodhi driving for a ride sharing service and a stupid joke about "I'm the Pilot" that kind of went a little crazy and took over. Not sure where we're heading exactly, though I do have more chapters plotted out.
> 
> Tags will change as time goes on and as more characters get added. Also, hopefully, a real plot.

For the past five minutes, Bodhi Rook had been sitting in his car, slowly bouncing his head off his steering wheel over and over. And over. He was starting to worry about a concussion, which would be bad considering he no longer had health insurance, but even that didn't stop him. Maybe if he hit his head just right....

“What is that sound? Are you listening to me?”

“Yes mother. I'm listening.”

“Then what was that sound?”

He sighed and leaned back in the seat, phone pressed tight to his ear. “Luke's cat. I think it locked itself in the bathroom again.”

“You shouldn't let him have a cat. It's unsanitary. And why do you need a roommate anyway? You have a great job, you don't need to live with anyone. How do you expect to ever get a girlfriend—”

Bodhi tuned her out again, eyes closed tight as she launched into another well rehearsed spiel. Bodhi let her, knowing that it was easier than trying to stop her. His mother was relentless once she got underway. It was safer just to let her run out of steam rather than interrupt.

He had tried explaining in the past that it was cheaper to live in the city with a roommate. He had told her that he had no intentions of dating at the moment; and even if he was into girls, he wasn't ready for the hassle that would follow if he did announce that he had a significant other and was then bombarded with questions about marriage. He also couldn't tell her that he was financially unable to return home for the holidays. “I'm going to be too busy, I'm not going to be able to come back,” he had told her at the start of the conversation, before she could get rolling too far along.

She had grown silent and he had gulped, steeling himself for the explosion. “It's Thanksgiving Bodhi. It's still a month off. You can just tell your boss that you need to be with your family.”

“Mum, you don't even like Thanksgiving. You just go along with it for dad's clients. Besides, I don't have the seniority to get the time off.” Which had launched her into a tirade about how junior partners should have more say in how things were run (and where she got that idea he didn't know; he had been loosely considered an intern at best), about how he wasted too much time and money on coffee (seriously, it was the only way he survived some days so back off), about how both his parents were getting older and needed grandchildren soon...he couldn't remember everything at this point. The call had already lasted an hour (thank you unlimited data plan), of which he had stopped listening after the first ten minutes.

Bodhi glanced at the time on his dash, silently sighing when he realized he had missed the lunch rush. So much for that plan. At least today was Halloween. It was likely he would be able to pick up enough passengers to make up the difference. He waited for a pause, jumping in quickly. “Okay, mum, I have to go. Lunch hour is over and I have a lot of work to do. Talk to you later, love you.” He hung up before she could protest, rubbing at his temple. He quickly opened up the ride share app on his phone, looking for available fairs.

He drove around for a bit, making a few drop offs and pick ups before stopping around three for lunch. He spent the time texting Luke, mostly to remind him that he'd be home late that night.

LS (Luke-y Poo): Planning to get laid finally?

BR: Sod off. Working.

Luke responded with a sad face emoji, followed by a photo of him in a long white robe and golden chains, rubber snake draped across his shoulders.

LS: Fuck it and come with us. Han's got a party going, free food and booze. I'll set you up with someone.

Bodhi snorted.

BR: You look ridiculous. Wtf are you even trying to be?

LS: Uncouth heathen. I am clearly Cleopatra and Wedge is my Mark Anthony.

Bodhi rolled his eyes.

BR: Very becoming. I can see your boxers.

LS: I won't be wearing them once Wedge gets here :p

BR: Tmi. Back to work soon

LS: No, come join us ;)

Bodhi wanted to say yes. He stared at his phone longer than he should before typing. 

BR: Can't. Not if I want to pay rent :( 

LS: I'll see if Leia knows anyone hiring.

BR: Thanks. Tell her I'll owe her.

Bodhi's phone pinged an alert. He opened the app and confirmed a pick up at a nearby apartment complex. He texted a good bye to Luke and headed for his car, sending a message to Kestrel through the app that he was on his way. He navigated around the growing traffic, slipping into an open space in front of the building before a Lexus could get it. He ducked his head as the driver honked, speeding away screaming obscenities at him. He texted that he had arrived and where he was waiting, looking at the sleek modern building with envy. Someday he hoped to be able to afford to live in a place like that. The heating and air conditioning probably worked just fine here. Not to mention the security cameras. He was so caught up in studying the building that he failed to notice the couple that approached until the girl pounded on the passenger window. Yelping, he rolled down the window a few inches.

“You the Pilot? Bodhi right?” The girl smiled brightly at him, brown hair curled up and pulled into a messy bun on the top of her head.

“Uh, yes. Um, are—are you Kestrel?”

“Same.” She winked at him. “Wanna unlock the door for us?”

Cursing, Bodhi quickly hit the controls, blushing as the locks disengaged. Kestrel smiled again, teeth showing in a slightly feral way as she slid into the backseat, followed by one of the handsomest men Bodhi had ever laid eyes on. He was frowning, five o'clock shadow dark against his tanned cheeks; his dark hair was slicked back and in his dark designer suit, Bodhi wanted nothing more than to climb into his lap and—

Kestrel cleared her throat, smirking as she caught his eyes in the rear view mirror. “Think we can get going?”

“Shit, sorry.” Bodhi blushed brighter and put the car into gear, pulling out slowly as traffic cleared. “Um, ah, where are we heading?”

“Downtown. I'll direct you when we get closer.” Kestrel settled back into the seat, texting on her phone, fingers a blur. The man barely acknowledged either of them, gazing out the window with bored indifference.

Bodhi attempted to make small talk as they eased through traffic. “You two going to a costume party?”

Kestrel preened and flicked a curl away from her face. “We're Bonnie and Clyde. We look good, right?”

Bodhi had to agree. Kestrel was dressed in a low cut black dress edged in gold, neckline plunging to a sharp point between her breasts and a slit in the sort skirt practically reaching her waist. She wiggled her foot, showing him her golden high heels as she tugged the man's arm. “Show Bodhi how gorgeous you are, Jeron.”

The man turned to scowl at her before glancing towards Bodhi. He blushed as Jeron's eyes seemed to bore into him.

“Isn't he perfect?”

Bodhi squeaked an answer and tried to focus on the traffic. He missed Kestrel covering her mouth to avoid laughing, delicate hand covering her bright red lips. She leaned forward and tapped his shoulder, pointing ahead. “Turn left at the light.”

Bodhi followed her directions, growing uneasy as she guided him farther away from the crowds and the cars and into the rundown business district. He saw more graffiti and broken windows than he did other people. He started to ask if she knew where she was going when she told him to stop.

Jeron was out of the car before he fully stopped, reaching back to help Kestrel out. She rolled her eyes at him and shoved a previously unnoticed bag into his hand. She leaned in the open front window and handed Bodhi a folded up bill. “Hey, thanks for the ride. Here's something extra for you. That way you don't have to report it.” She winked at him and started to walk away, phone in hand as she resumed her texts.

Bodhi called out a stuttered thank you, gulping as Jeron came around to the drivers side. “Bit of advice,” he muttered, causing Bodhi to shudder at his accent, “don't use your real name if you can avoid it.” He stared into his eyes before standing up straight. “And keep your doors locked.”

Bodhi sunk down in his seat, watching as the two disappeared into the rundown building. He pulled out his phone and sent a message to Luke.

BR: Dude, just had the HOTTEST guy in my car I'm seriously DYING right now!

LS: Pics or it didn't happen.

BR: You know I can't just take random photos of people!

LS: Wedge doesn't believe you.

BR: Yeah, well, Wedge better not be naked on my couch again.

LS: ....does a thong count?

BR: I want a discount on my rent. Or a new couch.

LS: We'll talk. So...cute guy? Date maybe?

Bodhi rolled his eyes. BR: dude, he has a girlfriend.

LS: Bummer. Could just be a girl, not the girl.

BR: They had a couples costume.

LS: Damn. Wedge knows a guy looking for a hook up.

BR: I'm not sleeping with a random guy!

LS: Dude, you need to get laid.

BR: Piss off.

Bodhi closed the text app and checked again for a new fair. Things were on his side for once; there was a pick up nearby that promised a larger fee. He put the car in gear and took off.

* * *

Halloween was in full swing. Bodhi had gotten lucky and had had several fairs (though only a few tips); he took a break around nine to get some food at a local burger place. As he was paying, he remembered the tip Kestrel had handed him earlier in the day. He had never actually looked at it, assuming it was a five or something. He settled into his booth, pulling out the carefully folded bill—and promptly choked on his drink when he realized it was a brand new one hundred dollar bill.

He wiped his mouth on his sleeve as he studied it. It was pristine, never before used. His hands shook as he turned it over, frowning as he saw the sticky note attached to it. “My friend thinks you're cute but he's too stupid to say anything :) Call him”. It was followed by a series of numbers.

He felt faint. It had to be a prank. The man had barely glanced at him, surely he felt nothing for him. Bodhi wadded up the note, intending to throw it away—and tucked it into his pocket instead. He carefully tucked the money into his wallet and ate as quickly as he could.

He had planned to stay out as late as possible. He made a caffeine run before starting again, traveling towards the areas known to have street parties. He planned on being close by for when people grew too tired or too drunk to continue on. He picked up a few groups that wanted to go from one party to the next, driving them with little complaint. He prayed silently that no one would puke in his car. He'd been lucky so far, but there was always the fear in the back of his mind.

Luke randomly sent him photos through the night, showing off their friends in the middle of having fun. Bodhi ignored him as best he could. He was debating stopping for more coffee when his phone pinged a new alert from the ride share app. Pick up two mile south. He rubbed tiredly at his face and navigated towards it, one way streets and pedestrian traffic making it take longer than it seemed it should.

Later, he would blame everything on being tired. He didn't pay attention to where he was going, failing to notice that the address was for a sketchy looking warehouse, complete with dark alley and overgrown lot across the street. He stopped, frowning as a sense of unease started to take over. He rechecked the app; the address was right but there was no one present, not that was this a place where any sane person would wait at eleven at night for an unknown driver to pick them up. He was getting ready to just drive off when the backdoor to his car was pulled up.

Bodhi jumped in his seat. He hadn't seen anyone approach him. “Fucking hell!” he yelled, spinning in his seat. In the flicker glow of the dying street light, he caught sight of a small woman trying to manhandle what looked like a body into his car. “Who are you?! What are you doing?”

The woman scowled at him and succeeded in getting the man—who groaned softly as he landed on the seat—into the car. “I ordered this ride.”

“Maude?” Bodhi asked, trying to see the woman's face properly. She sounded a bit familiar but he couldn't place why.

“Yup.” She climbed in, pushing the man farther over. “Can we get going? Take us to 3271 East Place.”

Bodhi glanced at the man again, who was curled up on his side, hand pressed hard into his stomach. “What's wrong with him?”

“Drank too much. Drive.”

Bodhi frowned at the woman, who had angled herself into the dark corner of the seat. “He looks like he needs a hospital.”

“No hospital,” the man gasped, struggling to sit up and Bodhi recognized them immediately.

“You're the couple from before,” he said, eyes moving over their dirty and torn cloths. Kestrel's feet were bare and her dress was missing many of it's accents. Jeron looked like death warmed over from what Bodhi could see. His face was pale and bruised, something darker than dirt smeared across his check as he leaned back with his eyes closed. He was holding tight to his side, pressing against a spreading stain—

“Oh shit! Is that blood?!” Bodhi shook his head, ready to scream when Kestrel reached forward and pushed a gun against his head. He squeaked and closed his eyes, trying not to cry as she leaned in closer.

“If you don't want me to shot you, you better start driving. And I'll know if you don't go where I want you to. Do you understand?” she asked, voice calm, though a hard edge rode it as she pressed the metal harder into Bodhi's cheek.

He couldn't stop the sob that escaped, tears running down his cheeks. “Okay, okay, whatever you want, please—!”

“Jyn,” came a soft voice from behind him, low enough that Bodhi knew he wasn't meant to hear it. Kestrel—Jyn—scowled and lowered the gun. “Please,” Jeron said, voice a bit stronger but clearly pained. “Just drive us where we asked and you'll be fine. We won't hurt you.”

Bodhi nodded frantically, throwing the car into gear and peeling out quickly. He drove recklessly, trying not to listen to the angrily whispered conversation from the back. He was shaking, hands unsteady as he guided the car through traffic. He was relieved and terrified when he pulled up in front of a row of shops with apartments above them. “Round back. The alley. Please.” Bodhi complied, biting his lip hard enough to taste blood as he parked in the dark alley. This was it, this was where he was going to die, in a filthy alley behind a rundown building in a bad part of town—

He yelped when Kestrel—Jyn—touched his shoulder. “Help me get him up.”

“I'm fine,” Jeron protested, trying to push her away to stand up on his own. She jumped out and ran around to grab his arm, shoulder pressed tight under his as she took most of his weight with a grunt.

“You're a fucking moron. Hey, Bodhi, help me.”

Bodhi nodded, sniffing back tears as he helped support him on his injured side. He could smell some type of expensive cologne (one that normally drove him wild and even now had him thinking inappropriate thoughts) underneath the man's sweat and what was clearly gun powder. He helped Kestrel—he tried to forget her real name, the one that Jeron had accidentally let slip in the car—as they moved slowly toward the heavy metal door hidden behind a dumpster. Kestrel kicked at it, irritated when it failed to open right away. Bodhi was shaking, though whether it was from nerves or the fact that Jeron was heavier than he looked when the door opened and a bright light temporarily blinded him as he stumbled back.

“What happened this time?” the gruff voice from inside the light asked, sounding far more resigned than Bodhi felt it should, given the circumstances.

“Someone knew we were coming. This idiot tried to be a hero when it wasn't needed. He got stabbed.”

“It's only a little cut,” Jeron muttered.

“Sure. That's why you're bleeding all over my alley. Give him to me.”

Bodhi could just make out a larger man reaching out for Jeron, pulling him into what looked like a kitchen. He was pulled roughly away from the door and shoved against the wall, crying out as Kestrel grabbed his face.

“By rights I should kill you. You're a liability. But my partner here likes you for some unknown bullshit reason, so I'll give you an option. I can let you go, unharmed, provided you tell no one about this. Do you understand? If you tell anyone—and I mean anyone—I will find out and they'll never find your body. Do we have a deal?”

Bodhi frantically nodded his head. “I understand! I saw nothing! Just—I'm sorry! Please don't kill me.”

Kestrel rolled her eyes and pushed him away. “I'm being nice here and I don't like being nice for people I don't know. Don't make me regret this.” She turned and stomped towards the door, slamming it behind her.

Bodhi collapsed onto the ground, too shocked to notice the filth soaking into his jeans. He tucked his head between his knees, trying to catch his breath as he panicked. Thoughts about going to the police ran through his head, of leading them back to this building and exposing—what? He didn't know anything. He hadn't seen a crime committed. The only weapon he had seen was the one that Kestrel had pointed at him—it could have even been fake his mind tried to tell him. This whole thing could have been a prank, an elaborate prank set up just to scare him. It was Halloween after all. Even he knew he was reaching at this point, grasping for straws and rational answers that didn't exist, but it was better than acknowledging the truth. Sniffing back another wave of tears, he got up and shakily stumbled back to his car. He tried to ignore that dark stain on the seat behind the drivers seat. He started the engine and drove slowly out of the alley.

He didn't remember much about the drive home. He couldn't even remember making the conscious decision to go home in the first place. He was just thankful, as he took the stairs rather than the elevator up to the third floor, that Luke was planning to stay out with Wedge that night. He locked the deadbolt, wishing that they had installed more locks when they had moved in and rushed to collapse in bed, pausing only to lock his door as he pulled off his stained cloths. He curled up under the covers, trying to calm down.

Everything was fine. He was home. He was safe. Nothing could touch him here.

He was fine

Everything was fine.

* * *

He woke up early and walked down the block to the corner store. He searched through their cleaning supplies, looking to see if he could find anything to remove the “dye” from the backseat. Three bottles of powerful chemicals and a box of gloves later, he was back home and working. It took him an hour to feel satisfied with the results before he quit and went back up.

He laughed when he opened the door and was greeted by Luke's fat old cat. “Hey R2, you hungry? Give me a minute.” He found a new bowl for him and filled it with kibble, laughing as the cat shrieked and dug in. He grabbed a protein shake for himself and wandered back to his room, intending to get his laundry ready for a run down to the laundromat, freezing when he saw a folded up note in the middle of his neatly made bed. He never made his bed, not unless his mother was coming by. He approached it with caution, picking the envelop up with shaking hands. Inside was ten bills folded in half, each another hundred like he had been tipped last night. The note was written in two different hands, the first part reading “Sorry about your car. Please have it properly cleaned.” The second, clearly Kestrel's writing, simply stated “he really does like you. Call him.”

Bodhi flopped onto his bed, hands covering his eyes as he started laughing hysterically. The events from the night before perfectly summed up his life at the moment. The fact that he was seriously considering making the call was almost as scary as the fact that they clearly knew where he lived. He glanced at the note again. He was pretty cute though.

Maybe Luke was right. Maybe he did need to get laid.


	2. Chapter 2

Bodhi never actually called the number. In fact, he did his best to ignore it.

It had taken him a while to calm down. He had laughed so hard that he had started crying (for which he was thankful that Luke hadn't been home—he loved his friend, but he was far too nosy for his own good). Eventually he had sat up and read the note again. And yet again. He had the number memorized at this point. He had picked up his phone, ready to dial, when he hesitated. And tossed his phone aside.

He couldn't get involved in this. In any of it. His life was already precarious as it was, what with no job, no prospects, and his mother breathing down his neck. He was having enough trouble just trying to pay for his rent and his car. He wasn't ready to add a boyfriend into the mix. Or a mobster. Or whatever Jeron had been. Nevermind the fact that whoever Kestrel was to him (and Bodhi really hoped she wasn't his girlfriend), she had had no qualms about threatening him. He had been terrified the night before. So why was he even considering going through with this?

Bodhi wanted to blame Luke and his obsession with old gangster movies for his current thoughts. Luke loved to watch movies about Bonnie and Clyde; he read books about Al Capone and Johnny Torrio. He was even writing his thesis on the Lost Twenty and their influence on current crime rings; Luke had a slight obsession with Dooku in particular, hinting at a family connection though Bodhi usually tuned him out. He often kept Bodhi up late at night to watch documentaries about prohibition while getting wasted and sending increasingly obscene snaps to Wedge. Bodhi had a passing knowledge of crime syndicates; it definitely bordered on pop knowledge rather than hard fact. He just never could bring himself to care as much as Luke did.

No matter how he looked at it, Bodhi wasn't ready to get involved in anything serious, relationship wise or crime wise. He carefully folded the note and tucked it into the oldest pair of socks he owned—the pair too stained and too full of holes for Luke to bother stealing. He tucked it into the back of his dresser and tried to forget it existed.

He forgot how the note had arrived in the first place. It completely slipped his mind that not only did they know where he lived but had managed to get inside without being noticed. He was too caught up in the memories of how hot Jeron had been, about how even grimacing in pain he had radiated pure masculine charm. He could hear his voice in his head, the deep tones gravelly and sexy and—fuck, he needed to get out more.

He went about his day, only after texting Luke asking about that guy Wedge had mentioned. He tucked away the money (screw cleaning his car, the stuff he had bought had worked well enough, this would at least cover his rent for a while), grabbed his bag and was out the door. He had an interview at one. Maybe, just maybe, things were finally starting to look up.

* * *

Fuck my life, Bodhi thought, head resting on the table tucked into the corner of Imperial Coffee and Tea. He had failed the interview spectacularly. By the end, he could tell that they were asking him questions merely as a formality rather than because they had any real interest in him. His phone buzzed at him. He despondently pulled it from his pocket and tossed it on the table, not caring if anyone reached over to take it. Life had no meaning anymore. What was the point?

“I'd ask how it went, but I think I know the answer.”

Bodhi rolled his head to the side, frowning at Leia as she stood over him with two cups of coffee in her hand.

“Please tell me that one of those has poison in it. I've heard that arsenic is tasteless.”

“So dramatic.” Leia carefully set his cup before him, nudging at him until he scooted over to let her join him on the bench. “What happened?”

“Leia,” he whined. “It was awful! I messed up so bad. I couldn't remember the name of the guy asking me questions and then I blanked on what the job was even for. Why am I such a loser?”

“You're not a loser. My brother's the loser,” she said as Luke walked in.

“Ha ha, very funny. I'm telling mom that you said that.”

“You know it's true. Dad agrees with me.”

Luke stuck his tongue out and sat across from them. “No luck?” he asked Bodhi.

He sighed and sat up as Wedge wandered over with drinks and pastries. “No. At this rate I'm never going to be able to give up being a glorified taxi service for the rest of my life.”

“Get any interesting people last night?” Luke excitedly leaned forward. He loved hearing about the clients Bodhi picked up. He said he found it inspiring; he often jotted down notes for characters for his next novel.

Bodhi shrugged. “Mostly drunk frat girls. Nothing too special.” Luke made a disappointed noise as Leia rolled her eyes. “One handsy couple that I threatened to kick out. Guy gave me a bad rating, not that I care.” He hesitated.

Wedge frowned at him. “What else?”

Bodhi blushed slightly. “It was nothing.”

Luke had perked up at his words. “It's not nothing. You're clearly blushing. Tell me or else I'll get really annoying.”

“You're already really annoying.” Bodhi sighed and rubbed at his eye. “I already texted you about it.”

“Oh! Was it that guy? The hot one? Did you get his number?”

“No!” Bodhi squeaked, blushing brighter. “I never asked for his number! What is wrong with you?”

“But something happened?” Wedge asked, picking up on Bodhi's unsaid words.

Damn, Bodhi thought. He had forgotten for a moment that Wedge's ultimate goal was to become a detective. The man was entirely too perceptive at times. “I did see them again last night, both him and his girlfriend,” Bodhi said, carefully choosing his words. “I drove them home from their party. They were pretty messed up.”

Luke sighed and settled back in his seat. “You should have asked him if he was single.”

“Oh my god Luke. Bodhi just said he was with someone. What is wrong with you?” Leia gave him a disgusted look.

“Just because they were together doesn't mean they were together.”

“You're an idiot and make no sense.”

Wedge cut the twins off before they could start a well worn argument. “Bodhi, were you serious about wanting a date?”

“Maybe.” He played with his cup, not meeting Wedge's eyes. “I'm not really, um, looking for anything serious right now. Money is kind of tight. And you know about my family. They know literally nothing about what's going on right now nor about the whole gay thing. But, I think I need to get out for a bit.”

Wedge smiled brightly. “I know just the guy. He just got out of a bad relationship and doesn't want anything serious either. Just go to dinner with him, maybe drinks, have a quick fuck, and move on. And if you like him, he might be willing to go out again.”

“You men are disgusting,” Leia said without any real heat.

“Like you and Han don't hook up on the side,” Luke grumbled.

“Just because you weren't his type doesn't give you the right to complain,” Leia said, sipping at her coffee. “Look Bodhi. I've been asking around and I might be able to get you a job in mom's office. It'd be the mail room, but the pay is pretty reasonable and it comes with benefits. There should be a secretary position opening up in a few months that you can apply for.”

“That sounds amazing Leia. Thank you!”

“It probably won't start until the beginning of December,” she warned.

“No, no! That's great! I have this month covered already, I should be fine.”

“How much did you make last night?” Luke frowned at him.

“I, ah, I had some saved up. And I got tipped fairly well,” Bodhi stammered before changing the subject. “So how was the party last night?”

Leia rolled her eyes. “Han flirted with Lando all night.”

Wedge laughed. “He's just trying to make you jealous.”

“We're just friends with benefits. Anyway, jokes on him. Lando and I have been texting about it for weeks. He thinks he's so transparent. Ellie just might try and kill him if he keeps it up. I like her. She keeps Lando in line.”

“And gets him cock blocked at every turn.”

“Which is great. I love watching them both get more and more frustrated.”

“Lando is aware that Ellie's in a gang, right? L3 has been arrested a few times for starting bar fights,” Wedge said.

“Oh, he knows. Mom's bailed her out and gotten her a public defender a few times. Mom likes strong, independent women.”

Bodhi sat back and closed his eyes, letting his friends words wash over him. He tried not to think about dark brown eyes that smoldered and lips that made him want to beg for a kiss. This would be good. He'd get out, he'd get laid, and he could move on. Easy as pie.

* * *

Wedge texted him the guys number later that night. With Luke looking over his shoulder and egging him on, he sent him a message identifying himself and mentioning that Wedge had said he was interested in a date.

“No wonder you can't get laid,” Luke groaned, leaning heavily on him. “Seriously? That's how you talk to the guy?”

“Luke, I swear on everything I own that I will lock you naked out of this apartment.”

Luke blew a raspberry. “Like that threat is going to work. I have no shame.”

Bodhi sighed and played with his phone as he waited for a response.

“Not going to work tonight?”

He shook his head. “Taking a day off.”

Luke accepted his answer like is a plausible excuse. He picked up the remote. “Wanna watch something?”

“Go for it.”

Luke flipped through the channels, pausing every now and then before settling with a small cheer on news piece about the current rise in gang activity.

Bodhi rolled his eyes. “Really?”

“You be quiet. This is 'research' for my thesis.”

“This is Fox news, dude. There's nothing here that can be considered even remotely factual.”

“Harsh man. Pretty harsh. I've seen clips of some of the interviews. One of the prosecutors my mom works with is in this. That's one of the reasons I'm watching.”

Bodhi rolled his eyes.

Luke shrugged. “Still slightly better than the History Channel.”

Despite himself, Bodhi found himself watching the segment on the rising influence of the Black Hand organization and it's growing hold in the areas normally held by a group only know as Rogue. Luke had tucked his legs cross style under him, notebook open on his lap as he scribbled down notes, snorting at most of what was said.

“I told you not to watch this.”

Luke waved his hand angrily at the screen. “This guy clearly doesn't know how to do a good investigative piece. He's clearly ignoring everything the experts are saying and twisting their words around. This is nothing but sensationalized misinformation. I mean, seriously? Saying that the Black Hand and the Black Sun were the same group is impossible! It's sloppy research. No, it's lazy. They have no credible source. I mean—” he gestured vaguely towards the reporter talking on screen and huffed.

Bodhi rolled his eyes and glanced through his notifications. He was pleased to see a text from Wedge's friend. He quickly responded, agreeing to meet at a downtown bar at eight the next night. He eventually said good night to Luke and went to bed, mentally preparing himself for his date.

He refused to acknowledge that he imagined it was Jeron he would be meeting instead. He was starting to think he had a problem.

* * *

Bodhi tried to give his date a chance, he really did. But he had realized early on that this was never going to work out. He had waited at the bar for almost two hours, reading through the increasing number of texts from “Hobbie” about how he had been held up at work, about how he was leaving now, about traffic, and honestly Bodhi had stopped reading after the sixth message, merely acknowledging and replying almost on autopilot. He had first suggested maybe meeting up another time or even driving to pick up the man himself but those ideas had been turned down. And while Bodhi didn't mind waiting, the bar had a policy in place that had forced him to order more drinks than he had planned on having. He was in the process of ordering yet another (reluctantly—he had no issues with alcohol, but he felt that getting wasted before the date even began was setting things up for a bad start) when Hobbie, as he insisted on being called, came rushing up.

“Bodhi, right? Geez, Wedge wasn't kidding when he said you were hot.”

Bodhi blinked unsure whether to laugh or be annoyed. He settled for a bland smile and hugged him, gesturing toward the seat across. Hobbie, not taking the hint, pulled out the chair next to him and leaned in close.

“I'm so sorry I'm late. Work was, well, it sucked today. We had a burglary which led to a lot of extra paperwork right at the end of the day.”

“That's right. Wedge told me you worked with him.”

“Same station, different division. Should we get food?” he asked, brushing his hair back from his face.

Bodhi smiled and flagged down the waiter. He already knew what he wanted and the quicker he ordered it the quicker he could work on burning off the alcohol. He was more than pleased that he had decided not to drive, though the thought of having to call someone to come pick him up after was a bit mortifying.

“What can I get you gentlemen?”

“Yeah, we'll take this special right here, with the seafood combo. Plus a whiskey for me.”

Bodhi slowly handed the menu over, face impassive.

“Another martini sir?” the waiter asked, edging away from the table.

“Not this time. Vodka please.”

Hobbie turned toward Bodhi. “I hope you don't mind that I ordered for us. I come here a lot and their seafood is outstanding.”

Bodhi shrugged. “It's fine. But if you don't mind a bit of advice, you might want to ask your date if they're allergic to anything before ordering.”

Hobbie paled and reached for his hand. “Oh shit. You're allergic to seafood.”

“Mildly. As long as the steak isn't touching it I should be fine.”

Hobbie covered his face. “God, I'm screwing this up so bad tonight.”

Bodhi patted his knee with a little laugh. “It's fine.”

He tried to salvage the night, he truly did. He made small talk, asking Hobbie about his interests and work. He listened, trying to find something interesting to hold onto but he was beginning to realize this was a lost cause. Their personalities just weren't hitting it off. Hobbie, for the most part, seemed blissfully unaware, rambling on and on about his life. He asked Bodhi at one point about his work.

“Well, I'm actually between jobs right now. I have a new one lined up for next month.”

Hobbie frowned at him. “So, what, mommy paying your bills right now?”

Bodhi raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“Shit, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that. It's just been a long week and I suddenly flashed back to my partner and it was clearly wrong of me to judge you. Can we start over?”

It was right then that their food was brought to the table, the shrimp in all their golden glory carefully arranged in a line on top of the perfectly seared steak. They both stared at it, silence growing awkward.

“Would you pass the bread please?” Bodhi finally asked, voice strained. He viciously stabbed at the roll, smearing it with butter.

“Sorry about the food. And, um, about what I said earlier. We can go if you want. My place is pretty close.”

Bodhi turned to study him with a frown. “What part of any of this makes you think I'm sleeping with you?”

Hobbie shrugged. “Wedge said you weren't looking for anything serious so I assumed.”

Bodhi reached for his wallet and pulled out enough to cover his drinks and part of the food he couldn't eat. “Well, this had been an interesting night, but I think I need to go. Thank you for reminding me why I don't date anymore. Have a nice life.”

He didn't pause as Hobbie started sputtering behind him, calling for him to wait and let him explain. He hurried toward the door, not looking at where he was going.

And walked right into a man in a suit carrying a glass toward a table.

“Oh shit! I am so sorry,” Bodhi exclaimed, hands coming up to cover his mouth. “Are you alright?”

The man frowned, face twisted slightly as he rubbed at his side. “It's fine. No worries.”

“I'm so sorry, I should have been looking...” Bodhi trailed off, face paling as the man looked up at him.

The man's frown morphed into a confused smile. “Bodhi? What are you doing here?”

Bodhi awkwardly took a step back as Hobbie came rushing up. “Trying to end a date,” Bodhi muttered, eyes closing tight.

“Bodhi, just come back and let me explain, please? I've made a terrible first impression and I'd like to start over. I'll blame the fact that I just got off a twelve hour shift.”

Jeron glanced between the two of them, eyes cold as he settled on Hobbie. “I thought he said that things were ending.”

“Sir, I'm sorry about—this,” Hobbie said, gesturing toward the spill on the floor and the faint stain appearing on Jeron's obviously expensive suit. “Bodhi, just come back with me.” He reached for Bodhi's arm, surprised when Jeron blocked him.

“Bodhi, if you wish to leave the door is straight ahead. I can escort you if you'd like.”

“Nevermind,” Hobbie muttered, pulling out a bill and moving to drop it on their table. “Nice talking to you. See ya.”

Bodhi gave him a little wave, eyes closed tight as Hobbie stalked out the door. He startled when Jeron lightly touched his arm.

“I take it that was a bad date?”

“Not the worst I've been on,” Bodhi muttered, looking down. “I'm, um, I am really sorry. About your suit and the drink. I can pay for...most of it.”

Jeron chuckled. “It's fine.” Bodhi did not shiver as his words washed over him. “I'll just go get a new drink. Come with me?”

This time, Bodhi could not hide his shiver as he followed Jeron back to the ornate bar set to the side of the dining room. “Is it a good idea to be drinking? You were—ah—well, I mean....”

Jeron signaled for the drink, glancing at Bodhi as the bartender passed it over. “I was what?” He wasn't even trying to hide his amusement over Bodhi's discomfort. “I believe you were asked to forget about the other day.”

“And I have—mostly. I just don't think drinking is a good idea considering how much...considering what happened.”

Jeron rolled his eyes as he approached his table. “It's fine. And besides, the drink isn't for me, it's for her.”

He set the drink down before Kestrel, who gave Bodhi a sly little smile and wiggled her fingers. “Hey cutie. Want to join us?”

Bodhi froze, eyes wide and panicked.

“Quit scaring him. Bodhi, feel free to join us. We were planning on eating. There's still time to order something.”

Bodhi wanted to run, to get as far away as he could. So it was only natural that he found himself pulling out a chair and sitting across from the still smiling Kestrel.

“Good boy,” she said, winking at him. “Order whatever you want.”

“You two aren't going to kill me, right?”

Jeron sighed. “We would have already done that if we were planning to. Someone even went against my orders and dug up your address.”

“Dug up more than that,” Kestrel said shrugging. “I know everything about your little boy toy here. And I thought I told you to call him,” she said, pointing at Bodhi.

“Enough,” Jeron said, voice soft but still halting Kestrel as if he had yelled at her. Bodhi wanted to hate that it was turning him on but he found himself wanting to hear him speak more. “Bodhi, I'm sorry about the other day. You were never meant to get involved. I am grateful that you kept your word and didn't turn us in. In all honesty, I was a little concerned.”

 

“Maybe don't call a ride share next time,” he mumbled, making Kestrel snort into her drink.

“Even that wasn't planned, I assure you. Look, Let us buy you dinner to say thank you. And no, we weren't following you. I know the owner of this restaurant and he always has a table ready for us. If you don't wish to stay, I can have them box it up for you.”

“Looks like you didn't get to eat much,” Kestrel said, giving him a much more genuine smile.

“I—thank you. I'd actually really like some food,” Bodhi admitted, shoulders slumping.

Kestrel called the waiter over, quickly ordering her and Jeron's food. Bodhi hesitantly asked for a petite cut, blushing when Kestrel nodded her approval over his choice.

“So,” she prodded. “That seemed like a horrible first date.”

And before Bodhi knew what he was doing, he found himself spilling everything to them. How his friend hooked them up, how it was supposed to be easy and quick. He continued into how he felt frustrated both in love and and in his professional life, about how his mom was bitching about him not coming home, about how he didn't want to anyway. He suddenly stopped, eyes wide as he realized that not only had he told his life story to two strangers, but he had told it to two criminals. He shook in his seat, afraid to move.

Jeron glanced up, bemused expression on his face. “Feeling better?”

“Oh fuck. What did I do?”

Kestrel laughed. She reached toward Jeron, pulling his phone from his pocket and typing on it quickly. She set it down on the table as Bodhi's phone buzzed. “There. Now he has your number and you have no excuse to pretend you don't have his. Call him later tonight, any time after midnight and set up a date of your own.”

“Kestrel.” Jeron's voice was harsh this time, eyes cold as he stared her down. “Go wait in the car.”

She silently stood up, glaring right back. “Quit being such a fucking wimp and do something for once.” She stalked out of the restaurant, oblivious of the stares she attracted.

Jeron closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I'm sorry about her. Please, just. She's a bit insane.”

“She likes you?” Bodhi asked softly.

“Not anymore. I swear. Now she's just on my case about finding someone new. Look, you can ignore what she said. She likes to meddle in things she shouldn't mess with.”

Bodhi bit his lip. “You, ah, you know what my life is like right now. I'm pretty much free whenever, but it it involves dressing fancier than this—” he gestured toward his dress shirt and jeans, slightly embarrassed, “well, this is the nicest thing I currently own. I, ah, I'm allergic to seafood, but other than that I'm okay with, well, anything really.”

“So if I were to ask you to dinner next Friday, would you go?”

“I really shouldn't do this, but yes, I'll go.”

Jeron smiled, a relieved look in his eye.

“Just tell me. Is Jeron your real name?” Bodhi suddenly shook his head, holding up his hand. “No, no, sorry, shouldn't have asked that.”

Jeron took it, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Yes and no. My name will have to wait until we're someplace a little more private. So, next Friday?”

Bodhi nodded, nervous smile playing across his face. “Call me.”

Jeron walked him out and put him into a waiting taxi (and Bodhi didn't want to think about the logistics of that), gently rubbing his thumb across his hand. “See you soon.”

Bodhi practically hyperventilated on the ride home, shakily pulling out his wallet to pay the driver after they pulled up to his building.

“No charge. Your friend paid it all, tip included. Have a nice night.”

Bodhi nodded his head as the cab drove off. “Of course he did. Apparently the only nice men I can meet are gangsters. Way to go Bodhi. How much more complicated can you life get.”

He stumbled into the apartment to find Luke sitting on the edge of the couch playing video games. “Hey, how'd it go?”

“Horrible. I drank too much and he tried to feed me fish.” Bodhi flopped down beside him, tucking his face into his neck.

“Bummer dude. You okay?”

Bodhi wrapped his arms around Luke's, head resting on his shoulder. “In all honesty, I think I was a little too harsh with him. He seemed like he had a bad day. But I don't think it was going to work. Not even for sex.”

“Sorry. Want me to find someone else?”

Bodhi thought about the number now saved on his phone. He shook his head. “Not yet. I think I'm good for now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of feel bad for making Hobbie such a jerk in this chapter, but someone had to do it. He was my unwilling volunteer. Also, the Fox News jab was from an actual conversation between two of my friends from about ten years ago. See, inspiration comes from all around.  
> And yes, I did make a Venom reference, however small. I couldn't resist.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let the date night begin. Plot decided to intrude so is going to be broken up over a chapter or two. Also, please don't attempt to make the tea Luke makes for Bodhi. It's literally something I made up while looking up information for something entirely unrelated to hangovers. I have no medical knowledge and cannot endorse trying this.
> 
> Also, heads up for a mention of vomit. If the idea bothers you, skip the second paragraph.

The first thing Bodhi thought about upon waking was that he had managed to get a date with an impossibly handsome man for the following week. He grinned as he rolled over, burying his face in his pillow. The second was just how quickly could he actually make it to the bathroom. That wiped the grin from his face as he jumped up, almost falling as his foot tangled in the sheets. He yanked his door open, shoving past Luke in the hall and racing for the toilet.

His third thought, the one he often had on mornings after drinking, was of how he vowed to never drink again. He clung to the cool porcelain, tears running down his cheeks as he expelled the contents of his stomach.

Luke sighed from the doorway. “I'll go make some tea.”

“Thank you,” Bodhi mumbled, voice distorted.

Bodhi leaned back against the wall as Luke retreated, eyes closed tight. Though his head was spinning, he couldn't help but think back to the night before and Jeron's perfect little smile; the way he had caressed Bodhi's hand so gently as he helped him into the cab; the way his eyes lit up while Bodhi rambled on (and, okay, that memory embarrassed him more than he'd like to admit). He would have to be more careful come Friday. He would only have a glass or two. He had a plan. He would not get in over his head. Again.

Shit. He was so fucked.

* * *

True to his word, Luke had a cup of tea waiting for him. Bodhi frowned at it, nose wrinkling as he sniffed it. “What the hell is this?”

“Uncle Ben's famous hangover cure. Also supposed to work on concussions.” He finished rummaging through the refrigerator, setting an armful of fruits and vegetables on the counter. “Drink it while it's still hot. Part two is coming up.”

“Wasn't he just some weird family friend, not an actual uncle,” Bodhi asked, face scrunching up as he sipped. “Fuck, this is horrible. Why does it burn?”

“Fresh ginger and Tabasco. Plus chrysanthemum blossoms and a whole bunch of other weird shit. The fact that Leia and I survived growing up is a miracle considering how often we were left with him. And you're correct, he wasn't related to us, though I'm pretty sure he and my dad fucked at least once while in college. I try not to think about it.”

Bodhi downed the tea, shoving the cup away from him. “And I thought my family was bad.”

Luke shrugged, cutting up the food and tossing it in the blender. “It wasn't all bad, just weird. Ben was pretty cool. He let us do whatever we wanted and told us a lot of stories. We loved him when we were little. And after dad went to prison, it was nice having him there. Your family is just a nightmare. Way too posh and stuck up. No offense.”

“None taken.” Bodhi cried out and covered his ears as Luke turned the blender on. “What the hell?! I have a headache you asshole!”

Luke rolled his eyes and poured the green concoction into a cup for him. “Suck it up. Here, drink this. It'll help.”

“Will it?” Bodhi dubiously eyed the glop. It looked like pond scum.

“Doesn't hurt. I've used it often enough to know. Here.” Luke handed him some pills.

“You've never made me any of this stuff before,” Bodhi said accusingly.

“Yeah, well, this isn't normal for you. Took me forever to realize that you were drunk, you don't act like it when you are,” Luke accused. “And besides, I usually make this at Wedge's. Drink that before it separates.”

“Where'd we even get this much green stuff? Neither of us ever even hit the produce section of the store.”

“Leia. She told mom what we've been eating, so mom had her set up a food delivery service. Leia picks most of what's going to be delivered, hence the greens. Also, I think she's trying to keep my liver healthy.”

Bodhi sipped at his drink, surprised when it didn't taste as bad as he had feared. “Tell her I'll pay for part of it.”

“Mom won't let you. Just eat it and forget it. If she could, she'd probably adopt you.” Luke popped a slice of bread in the toaster. “Hey, just so you know, you're invited to Thanksgiving and Christmas if you want to come by.”

“We'll see.”

Luke nodded and dropped the subject. Bodhi took the pills and stood up. “I'm going to go back to sleep for a while.”

“Okay. And later, I want all the juicy details about your date last night. It's not like you to come home so drunk. Me, yes. You? No.”

Bodhi laughed nervously and retreated to his room. Damn. He'd have to think carefully about what he said in order to account for the time spent with Kestrel and Jeron. This really wasn't his week.

Hell, this really wasn't his year.

* * *

Bodhi somehow made it through most of the week without having to answer Luke's questions about anything other than than the date with Hobbie itself. Between Sunday and Wednesday, Bodhi told him the sordid tale. “I don't think I gave him enough of a chance,” he said on Wednesday as they prepared dinner (grilled chicken and vegetables, courtesy of Leia's benevolence—Bodhi didn't think he had eaten this healthy since he had left home).

“Who didn't you give a chance to?” Wedge asked, closing the door behind him. He shucked off his coat and came to wrap his arms around Luke.

“Hobbie,” Luke said, twisting around to kiss his cheek. “Bodhi was telling me about his horrible, no good, very bad date.”

Bodhi rolled his eyes. “Still wasn't the worst I've ever been on.”

Wedge shook his head and leaned against the counter. “Sounded pretty bad to me. I chewed him out about it. I specifically told him to not order for you, that this wasn't Franklin all over again. I told him to be nice and polite and play it cool. Had I known just how bad he was going to be I wouldn't have set you two up. I'm really sorry dude.”

“It's fine.” Bodhi shrugged, reaching for the potholders. “I could have spoken up, but I was really annoyed by that point.”

“Plus drunk,” Luke chimed in, reaching for plates.

“Don't make excuses for him,” Wedge said. “He was an idiot. Did you at least order something after he left?”

“Wait.” Luke turned to stare at Bodhi, frowning. “I thought you left before him.”

“I, ah—” Bodhi froze, spatula holding a piece of chicken suspended in the air. “Well....”

Wedge raised an eyebrow. “Hobbie said you were talking to someone when he left. Who was it?”

Bodhi gulped and finished serving the food, mind frantically turning over all the possible answers he could safely give. “It was...it was someone I met a while ago. I, ah, gave him a ride recently. He invited me to stay and have dinner after Hobbie left. It was nothing really.”

Wedge studied him for a moment before taking the plates to the table. “And you just happened to run into him there?”

“He was having a meeting with a—a client—before that,” Bodhi said. Internally, he was screaming at himself to shut up, to stop talking, anything other than continue on. “For drinks. We talked after and he got me a cab.”

“He got you a cab. As in paid for it?” Luke settled into his chair, face thoughtful. “And when were you going to mention any of this?”

Fuck. Fuckity fuckity fuck. Bodhi closed his eyes and sighed. “Never, since this is how you are going to act. I swear, you're as bad as my mum sometimes.”

“Rude.”

“We're just worried about you,” Wedge said, glaring at Luke. “That's what friends do.”

Bodhi stabbed at his food. “Yeah, well, worry about someone else. I'm doing perfectly fine. I even managed to get a date on my own—” Fuck. Bodhi's face scrunched up, waiting for the explosion.

“What?!” Luke yelled. “Bodhi! What the actual fuck?! When were you going to tell me this? I am your best friend! I need to know these things. How else am I supposed to obsess over everything?”

“It's nothing. We're just going out for drinks.” Bodhi picked at his food, wondering if that was true. He had yet to hear from Jeron. He wasn't even sure if their date was still on. Was it even a date? Was he being played? Was Jeron planning to kill him instead, maybe kidnap him and sell him? Were his organs even healthy enough to sell? It's not like his diet was that great; and he did tend to drink too much. He shook his head, trying to chase away his thoughts. “It'll be fine.”

“Is it that guy?” Wedge asked. “The one from the restaurant?”

Bodhi sighed and nodded his head. He rubbed at his face, suddenly more tired than he had ever been.

“What's his name?” Luke demanded.

“I'm not telling you because then you'll just google him and try and embarrass me. Just—back off! Okay? I can take care of myself. You don't need to be so overprotective.”

“I'm trying to keep you safe.”

“Yes, well, I don't need you to. You're not my mum, you're not my brother, you're just a friend. So back off.”

Luke's face crumbled. Shoulders dropping, he lowered his eyes. “I just don't want to see you get hurt again.”

Bodhi felt like an ass but he wasn't about to back down. “I know, and I appreciate it. But I need to learn things on my own. I know I asked you guys for a lot of help lately and I'm grateful that all of you are doing so much for me, but I need to do something on my own. To prove I still can I guess. And if it was a mistake, well....”

“You'll still have us to help you pick up the pieces,” Wedge supplied as Luke nodded frantically.

“Thanks. Now, can we please talk about something—anything—else. I'm begging.”

“Not as much as Luke will be later,” Wedge said, wiggling his eyebrows at Luke who started giggling.

“Okay, gross. I'm out.” Bodhi pushed away from the table. “There better be no bare body parts of any kind on my couch tonight.”

“Tell me in the morning if you get any interesting people!” Luke called as he headed for the door.

“Always do. No parts or bodily fluid on my couch. I mean it.”

Luke was grinning at Wedge. “No promises.”

Sighing, Bodhi slammed the door on his way out. He decided, as he unlocked his car, that if he had not heard from Jeron that night he would text him himself. He opened his app and took off, trying not to think. 

* * *

It was late when Bodhi got home. He leaned against the wall in the elevator, exhaustion weighing him down. He had only picked up three fairs that night, the last being a very paranoid man that ranted on and on about conspiracy theories and government tracking. Bodhi had tried to seem interested, answering noncommittally when the one-sided conversation had called for it, glad when he could finally drop the man off and head home. He had been the only one to tip him that night, though he wished he hadn't. Somehow, he didn't consider a business card for an anarchist blog and YouTube channel counted.

He struggled with his key for a moment, internally cheering when he succeeded in unlocking the door, only to stumble inside to the sounds of Luke and Wedge going at it in Luke's room. He sighed and hoped the batteries in his noise canceling headphones still worked. It had been a while since he had had to wear them, Luke usually choosing to spend his nights at Wedge's. He went to search his closet, sending up a silent thank you to whoever was listening when he found them that they still had a mostly full charge. Having to listen to his best friend in the throws of passion was not how he wanted to spend the night. He put them on, tossed his phone on the bed and went to clean up.

When he came back from the bathroom, he changed out of his cloths and dropped into bed, sighing. He closed his eyes, wanting nothing more than to just go to sleep and pretend the world didn't exist. Instead, he thought about his promise earlier; about how if he didn't hear from Jeron by the time he got back he would text him. Biting his lip, Bodhi felt around until his hand bumped into his phone. The notification light was flashing and he grinned when he unlocked it to see a text from Hot Guy, as he had called him in his contacts.

HG: Sorry to contact you last minute, I've been out of town and my friend has been on my case all week. Still up for Friday?

Bodhi giggled, glad that Jeron seemed even more awkward in conversations than him.

BR: Definitely. What did you have in mind?

HG: How does dinner sound? Maybe drinks after and we'll see where things take us from there.

Bodhi shuddered slightly, biting at his lip. He knew where he wanted things to go. Or at least his libido did.

BR: Sounds great. Where should we meet?

It took Jeron a while to respond. Bodhi tried to be patient, scrolling through social media as he waited.

HG: There is a coffee place near your apartment. Be there at seven and I'll pick you up. Business casual.

Bodhi frowned. It seemed like an odd request. Even though he knew where Bodhi lived, he wanted to meet someplace public? Was he trying to avoid being seen? And what did business casual even mean? Who spoke like that when referring to a date?

BR: The one on the corner? Sounds good. Where to after?

HG: You'll see.

A thousand red flags popped up in Bodhi's mind. He tightened his grip on his phone, anxiety that he hadn't felt in years creeping up. He needed to say no. He needed to get out of this.

BR: Sounds great. I can't wait to see you :)

He closed his eyes in frustration. Why did he keep doing this? Just because Jeron was hot and his forcefulness made Bodhi's knees weak (and other things take interest) didn't make any of this right. He was probably going to die on Friday.

As long as I get laid first, he thought, plugging his phone in and turning off his light.

He was so very fucked.

* * *

“Does this look okay?” Bodhi asked Luke Friday afternoon. He held his arms out to the side, showing off the outfit he had thrown together (after spending more time than he cared to admit searching through his closet for anything presentable).

Luke snorted. “Dude, you look horrible. Where are you going tonight?”

Sighing, Bodhi dropped his arms. “He just said business casual.” He rolled his eyes at Luke. “I know, who even say that to a date. But the problem is that I have almost nothing that matches that description anymore that's still wearable.”

“I'll see if I have anything. Where are you guys going?”

“I don't know yet.”

Luke frowned at Bodhi before he shook his head. “Dude,” he called as he moved into his room. “I'm trying to be supportive, but if this guy turns out to be a crazy serial killer we're never finding your body, you realize that, right? No name, no location....”

Bodhi leaned against his doorway, arms crossed over his chest. “It'll be fine.” He wished he believed his own words.

“Whatever. Here, put this on.”

Bodhi took the shirt and pants that Luke held out and went to his room to change. He had to admit, they looked good on him. He smoothed his hand down the charcoal shirt tucked into a slightly too loose pair of black pants, buckling his belt a bit tighter than normal. He walked back out to show Luke, spinning in place like a runway model. “What do you think?”

“Very fuckable. Fill the pockets with condoms.”

Bodhi pointed at him. “You laugh, but if all goes right I won't be home tonight.” He just hoped it was for fun reasons. Please let it be for fun reasons.

Luke snorted, eyes bright. He sobered up for a moment, teasing put aside. “Promise you'll text me so I know you're okay.”

“I will. Don't worry so much.” He dropped on to the couch, leaning against Luke's shoulder. “Am I crazy to do this?”

“A little, but I get it. I did the same with Dak before Wedge. Barely knew him and ran off for the weekend. Turned out to be a terrible idea, we hated each other after the first night, but it is how I met Wedge, so I'm not complaining too much.”

“Thanks for being my friend. I'm sorry I yelled at you the other day. I do think of you as a brother.”

“Then don't apologize. Leia never does and I'm her actual brother. Just.” Luke paused, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. “Just, go have fun. Don't worry about us, we'll still be here for you no matter what happens. Have fun, get laid, stay safe. Don't get talked into doing anything you don't feel comfortable with. And if you're going to stay out, text me. Please?”

“I will.”

“And hey!” Luke said brightly. “If you two start dating, we can double date!”

Bodhi laughed nervously. “We'll see.”

Yup, he was fucked.

* * *

By the time he needed to leave, Bodhi was a ball of anxiety. A million thoughts were racing around his head. He had imagined a hundred different scenarios for the coming evening, ranging from a sweet little dinner date ending in a good night kiss to getting the brains fucked out of him; he also imagined being driven to a field somewhere far from the city and being shot. He kept telling himself that he was crazy, that if that was the plan Jeron and his cohorts would have done it already. That waiting until he was on a date to kill him would just be suspicious.

All in all, by six-thirty, Bodhi was happy to leave the apartment, which had become stifling. Luke catcalled him on his way out, throwing a handful of condoms at his head. Bodhi rolled his eyes before grabbing a few and hurrying away.

He shoved them into the pocket of his old suit jacket, nervously tugging at it's edges as he pushed through the evening traffic. It took him a little over five minutes to reach the corner and he hesitated over ordering a cup of tea while he waited (he didn't want to appear bored but he also felt the need to keep his hands occupied). He was standing near the back, debating, when his phone buzzed. He unlocked it and saw a text from Jeron.

HG: Outside. Black SUV.

Bodhi frowned, leaning around to look out the window. There were a handful of cars in the parking lot, a black SUV indeed parked near the back. He tucked his phone away and pushed his way past the gaggle of college girls blocking the door. He approached the car, unable to see in through the tinted windows. He heard the locks disengage and cautiously popped open the passenger door.

“Hop in. We have reservations at eight.” Jeron gave him a blinding smile, hands resting lightly on the steering wheel and Bodhi knew he was lost. He slide in silently and gulped as Jeron locked the door as he stared at him, eyebrow raised. “Seat belt?”

“Sorry.” Bodhi fumbled with the strap, blushing. “Ah, you, ah—you look nice.” Idiot, Bodhi thought. Jeron didn't look nice, he look perfect. Much like on Halloween, he was wearing a crisp white shirt with the collar pulled open, black jacket merely helping to show off his muscles. His stubble framed his jaw and made Bodhi want to rub against it—Bodhi cleared his throat and looked swiftly away.

Jeron silently laughed as he pulled out of the lot. “Thank you. You look quite lovely yourself. I was almost expecting the same outfit as last time.”

Bodhi's blush grew. “My roommate gave me some of his clothes to wear. Most of my stuff is in pretty bad shape.”

Jeron hummed and headed for the freeway. “And this roommate? You two have lived together for a while, haven't you?”

“How did you know....oh. Kestrel. She said she had looked me up.” Bodhi studied Jeron's profile as he merged through traffic, hitting the express lanes with little difficulty (and that only made Bodhi slightly jealous).

Jeron glanced his way, eyes apologetic. “She's a bit—overprotective we'll say. And not very trusting.”

“So how much do you know about me?” Bodhi asked, dread rising.

“On paper? Enough,” Jeron admitted. “But I want to hear things from you. Not my ex.”

“So you two did date. I knew it!”

“Is that going to be a problem?”

Bodhi thought he could detect a hint of nervousness in Jeron's voice. He shrugged. “I'm okay with it. I'm fine with a guy being bi. But is she going to be okay with—with us?”

Jeron smiled and reached for his hand. “She'll come around. She's not as scary as you think.”

Bodhi snorted. He fell silent as they drove, noting the streets they passed. It seemed like they were heading toward the coast. “So, since you know about me, am I going to be able to learn about you?”

“Some.” Jeron released his hand. “Whatever you ask I'll either answer or ignore.”

“Okay.” Bodhi thought for a bit, biting his lip as he decided his first question. “Are you planning to kill me?”

“No. Not unless I have no other choice.” Jeron laughed at Bodhi's squeak. “I'm joking. No, I'm not going to kill you. I'd have already done that before if I wished to.”

Far from reassured, Bodhi pushed forward. “Is Kestrel going to kill me?”

“As long as she's still loyal to me, no.”

Bodhi hesitated. “I have one more big question. Well, two, but one that I need answered or else this date ends right now. Are you involved in a gang?”

Jeron sighed. “That's a rather complicated question you just asked Bodhi. Are you sure you want me to answer?”

“Yes,” he whispered. “Are you in a gang?”

“In a gang? No. What I am I can't really say at the moment, not without causing too many problems.”

“Are you a mob boss? Drug dealer? Assassin?”

“That's more than one question,” Jeron teased, voice light but strained. “One of those is a bit closer to the truth, but I would advise you to ask nothing else as of now. What you don't know can't be used against you. I am involved in slightly less than legal activity, as is Kestrel. If you want out, I can drop you off nearby and leave you with the same warning. And rest assured, I will know if you tell anyone.”

Bodhi was silent as they pulled off the freeway, traversing through a quiet, upscale residential neighborhood. He finally took a deep breath and asked in a rush, “is Jeron your real name?”

Jeron pulled into the lot for a rundown building, peach paint peeling off the walls below a sign advertising homemade tamales and menudo. He turned in his seat to study Bodhi, eyes running up and down his face.

Bodhi held his breath, scared. He was frozen in his seat, eyes wide, refusing to look away.

Jeron seemed to make up his mind and shook his head. “Yes and no. It is my middle name.”

“What's your first name?” Bodhi asked, voice soft.

“Cassian.”

For a moment, neither moved. There was a magical feel to the air, a moment of wonder that caught Bodhi's breath before he could release it. He couldn't say why, but he knew that Jeron—no, Cassian—had told him the truth. He closed his eyes, smiling as he reopened them to find Cassian studying him with concern. “It's nice to meet you Cassian.”

Cassian smiled in return, shoulders dropping slightly. “It's nice to meet you too, Bodhi Rook. Now let's go eat. We have a lot to discuss before the night begins.”

Bodhi shuddered and followed him away from the car. He took Jeron's offered arm with little thought, a thrill running down his spine that pushed his fears away. For now, he would focus on food and worry about what was to come after later. His mind pushed away Cassian's warning from before, breath speeding up as Cassian pulled him close.

Bodhi had no plans to return home that night. One way or another, he was getting what he wanted.

And right now, he really, really wanted Cassian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully this chapter makes sense. I started this after spending eight hours cooking for fifteen people last minute and finished it while sick (not food poisoning at least; I'll brag about being a fairly good cook). Next part of date night is being written. Fingers crossed that Bodhi gets what he wants.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be forewarned, there be smut ahead. (Nervously throws chapter out into the wild and runs)

Bodhi allowed Cassian to guide him toward the door, subtly angling closer to breath in his cologne. He recognized it from the first day, a spicy and woody scent that drove him wild; it was almost as if Cassian wore it specifically for him though he knew that was impossible. His breath caught in his throat as Cassian opened the door, crowding close behind him as he stepped inside.

He was not expecting what he saw. The interior, unlike the rundown facade, was a level of opulence Bodhi hadn't experienced since he left home. The walls were paneled in dark hardwood, polished until they glowed in the golden light from the chandeliers. Cut glass and crystal lined the doorways and helped divide the booths into nooks, creating a feeling of privacy in the open space. An ornate bar lined one side, polished wood and brass gleaming, gold leaf frames with original oil paintings displayed proudly along the walls.

Before them was a carved podium, behind which a man stood in an expensive tuxedo. “Good evening. How my I be of service?”

“I have a reservation for eight.”

The man smiled and turned a page in the gilded book in front of him. “And your name sir?”

“It's fine, James. I'll take over.”

Beside him, Cassian straightened up, smile bright on his face as he reached out to hug the man quickly approaching them. “Mario, it's been a while.”

“Same, same. How have you been? You've been good? Staying out of trouble?” Mario snorted and gave Cassian a once over. “Course you haven't, you never could.” He tapped a line on the book marked as “private” and waved James away. “Just mark it as family. I'll show our guests to their table.”

Bodhi noticed James watching Cassian with a look of awe and it struck him again just how far in over his head he might be getting. Mario led them toward a high top table tucked in the back, set within private alcove. There were tealights twinkling on the table, light bouncing off the dark table and making the silverware gleam. He blushed slightly as Mario pulled out a chair for him before hurrying over to help Cassian. Cassian tried to wave him away, arguing in Spanish with Mario before finally giving in. He rolled his eyes as Mario leaned into him laughing.

“I'll send a waiter over soon. Drinks are on me. What would you like?”

“I'm paying for them,” Cassian said, glaring at him.

Mario glanced around before leaning in close. “Look man, I owe you. You helped us out when no one else would, so just put up with it. You're practically family.”

Cassian waved him off. “Fine. Two house specials and a bottle of red.”

“Top shelf, got it.” Mario walked off laughing, signaling to a young man to follow him.

Cassian sighed. “Sorry about that, I just wanted him to leave. You can order something else once our waiter gets here.”

“It's fine.” Bodhi bit his lip. “You, ah—you know him well?”

Cassian pushed his fork slowly to the side. “Sort of. His family helped me out when I was little. Once we were older, I helped them with an immigration issue, got them in touch with a lawyer I knew, nothing out of the ordinary. But his mother worries about me and they treat me like family, so I put up with being treated like a celebrity.”

“Then why come here if it bother you?” Bodhi teased.

“Well, foods decent. The company...,” Cassian paused as he reached for his hand; “the company is usually fairly nice.” He smiled at Bodhi's snort. “And it's one of the few places I get to just be me. No front, no lies. Just Cassian.”

Bodhi was kept from responding by the arrival of their drinks. The raw honesty in Cassian's words affected him more than he could say. Though he had smiled, he had sounded so lost.

“Gentlemen, good evening. Might I start you off with an appetizer?” The waiter smiled as he set their menus down. “We have a lovely selection of small salads as well as our seared scallops, both a house specialty.”

“The house salad will be fine. Is that okay with you?” Cassian asked Bodhi, a teasing smile on his face.

“Sounds fine with me. I trust your judgment.” Bodhi resisted the urge to stick his tongue out as he scanned the food offerings.

Cassian laughed. “Pepitas on the side of mine, please.”

“Of course, sir. And might I go over the menu with you? We have a few offerings today that are not listed.”

Bodhi pointed towards something. “Does this have any fish in it?”

“He's allergic,” Cassian offered, sipping at his drink.

“Only slightly,” Bodhi muttered, ignoring Cassian's glare.

The waiter nodded his head. “That one is cooked with a fish broth, made fresh daily. I'd steer clear of anything in this section,” he said, pointing toward a section on the menu. “However, if there is anything in there that catches your eye, our chefs would be willing to substitute chicken for the fish. It's just these three that would be difficult as certain components are made in advance.”

“No, that's okay. I'll have, the, uh....” Bodhi bit at his lip, frowning.

“I can come back in a few moments, give you some time to decide if you wish.”

“Just order what you want. Whatever sounds good to you,” Cassian prompted, nudging at Bodhi's foot with his own.

Bodhi shot him a look. “Why don't you pick something. You must know the menu quite well since you never even picked it up.”

Cassian smiled, taking the challenge. “My friend here will have the carne asada, medium-rare. Mild, please. Fried yucca with the nopales and cilantro rice.”

“Excellent choice. And for you, sir? Your usual?”

“Yes. With a side of the vegetarian paella.”

“I'll have them get started on that right away. Your salads will be out shortly. If you need anything, just let us know.”

Bodhi lifted a eyebrow. “So...out of curiosity, how many dates have you brought here?”

Cassian poured him a glass of wine, biting back a laugh. “Just Kestrel and now you. I sometimes come alone for lunch, but it's been a while since the last time.”

Bodhi hummed and studied the two alcoholic drinks before him. “Trying to get me drunk?”

“Nights young, but I would like you to remain sober enough to consent if you wish to.”

Bodhi nearly dropped his wine glass as their salads arrived.

Cassian laughed, leaning back in his chair. “Has anyone ever told you you're cute when you blush?”

“Has anyone ever told you that you're kind of a jerk?” Bodhi said without heat.

“I've been called worse. Now, shall we get all of the awkward small talk out of the way?”

“I thought you knew everything about me?”

“It means nothing unless it comes directly from you. So, you're an Uber driver?”

Bodhi shook his head. “Only temporarily until I can find a new job. I was kind of fired from my last one.” Bodhi squirmed in his seat at Cassian's questioning look. “It's not something I like to talk about. I got accused of stealing some money that I never had access to, but my ex being my direct supervisor didn't help things and after I paid everything back it wiped out my savings, so if I want to, you know—live—I have to make money somehow.”

“Do you think he set you up?” If Cassian was surprised by his story, Bodhi doubted it. Kestrel had implied that she knew everything about his past; surely she had shared it all with Cassian.

“Looking at it now, he must of. He was a genuine ass-kisser, but even he couldn't have afforded to buy himself a luxury car on his salary. It doesn't matter, though, because we are now broken up and I was able to save at least some of my belongings before he threw everything out.”

“And that's when you moved in with your friend.”

Bodhi stared him down. “What's his name?”

“Your ex? Or your friend?”

Bodhi pointed his fork at Cassian, eyes cold. “If you even think about mentioning that scumbags name, I'm walking out right now.”

Cassian gently pushed his hand away. “Relax. Your friend's name is Luke. You two have know each other since college, correct?”

“How much more did Kestrel tell you? I know she said she looked me up, but this is ridiculous.”

“She is a bit extreme sometimes,” Cassian conceded. “She means well, it's just that...the way she was raised makes her mistrustful of new people. Which is why I was surprised when she pushed for this date.” It was Cassian's turn to blush. “You know, before you picked us up that night, she had already found a few photos of you based off your profile. She kept asking me if I thought you were cute, and well, I guess I couldn't hide it very well and she kind of forced things along by giving you my number.”

“And she's okay with this? Like, she's not going to kill me for sleeping with you?”

“She'll probably thank you,” Cassian muttered. “She's been on my case to move on for a while. My last two dates didn't go so well. Which is why....”

“Which is why she looked me up,” Bodhi finished. He picked up his margarita and downed it in one go. “Very well. My name is Bodhi Rook, I'm twenty five, born in Washington D.C., which I hate, lived in New York and London, attended a very exclusive boarding school in England that my father paid an outrageous amount of money to keep me from being expelled from, finally rebelled against my parents at seventeen and ran away to attend college where I met Luke and became the black sheep at home. And what about you?”

Cassian was struggling not to laugh as their entrees arrived. “You never do anything by halves, do you?” He wiped at his face, eyes bright. “Unfortunately, I can't tell you too much, not yet anyway. If this goes beyond a first date, maybe. My name is Cassian. I'm a bit older than you. Got mixed up in a lot of trouble growing up and now, well, you've met Kestrel. That should give you an indication of what life is currently like.”

“I remember. Did you get shot or stabbed?”

“Stabbed.” Cassian shrugged. “I have quite the collection of scars if you're interested.”

“And you obviously have money.”

“I'm comfortable,” Cassian confirmed.

“Which is what all rich people say, next to refusing to talk about money.” Bodhi tasted his food, eyes widening in surprise. “Holy shit, this is fantastic!”

Cassian smiled. “It should be. Mario's mother made sure he went to the best culinary school she could afford, with a little help from an outside source.”

“You, right?”

Cassian nodded. “They saved my life. It was the least I could do.”

Bodhi changed the subject. “So, boring small talk. Favorite movie?”

“Don't laugh. Spirited Away.”

“Dude! Why would I laugh? That movie is awesome! Trippy, but the animation is amazing.”

They fell into a easy conversation about movies and books, friendly arguments carrying them through ordering and eating dessert. Bodhi found that when he finally got Cassian talking without mincing words, his face would light up in an endearing way. He was animated, hands gesturing wildly as he made his point, carefree laugh rolling off his tongue with ease. His smile was addicting and Bodhi wanted nothing more than to see it everyday for the rest of his life.

Shit. Bodhi pushed away his glass. “Okay, if you want me sober enough for fun times in private, then I think I'm done drinking. According to Luke, I don't act drunk even when I am.”

“Well, unless you're a lightweight, you've only had three glasses, but I'll definitely cut you off. Shall we pay and see where the night takes us?”

Bodhi shivered. “Definitely.”

Cassian signaled to their waiter, rolling his eyes when he saw the bill and the missing drinks and reduced prices. He pulled out his wallet, leaving behind the original total plus a large tip (and Bodhi couldn't help but remember the tip he had left him on Halloween). “Ready?”

Bodhi shot to his feet. “Your place or mine?”

Cassian leaned forward to whisper in his ear, “unless you stop this right now, I'm not planning to let you go home tonight.”

Bodhi's brain short-circuited. He grabbed Cassian's hand. “Let's go.”

* * *

He had stopped paying attention to where they were heading once Cassian hit the freeway. He was too busy worrying over every little detail. Did his breath stink? Was something caught in his teeth? What if he'd forgotten how to do—anything, really? It had been a while since he'd last had sex. Gah, he hated his brain sometimes. This was a horrible time to start overthinking. But what if Cassian got upset that he had brought condoms? What if he felt like Bodhi didn't trust him? What if he didn't want to use them? What if—

He yelped when Cassian touched his leg. “Fucking hell, warn a guy before you scare him? Are all you mob people this sneaky?”

Cassian glanced at him, one brow low over his eye. “I've been calling your name for a few minutes now. Your phone's been buzzing.”

“Fuck.” Bodhi fished it out of his jacket pocket, seeing at least six texts from Luke. “My friend wants to know if I'm coming home and if I don't respond soon he's calling the police.” He sighed. “And you think Kestrel is overprotective.”

“Yes, well, I'm sure Luke wouldn't kidnap people just to figure out where you've gone.”

“True...did she really do that? God, your ex is scary.” Bodhi typed out a response, hitting send. It was only a moment before Luke replied. “He wants a proof that it's me typing. Fuck, he must be looking up the First Order again.”

Cassian raised an eyebrow. “You can send him a pic if you want.”

Bodhi turned to stare at him. “You'd be okay with that?”

He shrugged. “If I was worried about being recognized, I wouldn't have taken an Uber that time. I'm good at what I do so it's not a problem.”

“Organized crime and killing people, obviously.” Bodhi heard him snort as he switched over to selfie mode. He snapped a quick pic, grinning widely as he pointed toward Cassian's profile.

BR: me and the hottest guy on earth!

“If he asks for a name, what should I tell him?”

“Cassian is fine. If it bothers you, Jeron will work.”

Bodhi typed slowly, smiling at Luke's use of emojis. “And you'd be okay with that? You'd honestly be okay with me telling my friends your real name. Assuming Cassian is even your real name.”

“I'm more than fine with it, especially since 'Cassian' has no known record.”

Bodhi snorted. “See, I knew you were going to use another alias,” he teased.

“And yet you are in my car heading to an unknown location. Maybe not your smartest move.”

Bodhi giggled over Cassian's sarcastic words. “Yeah, well, if you are planning to kill me, don't tell me until after sex. I just want to enjoy something other than my own hand for once.”

Cassian pushed at him as he pulled up to a gated guard shack. He waved a card at the man, allowing him to look into the SUV before the gates opened and he continued up the drive.

Bodhi watched the perfectly manicured trees pass by. “So is this where you tell me that you own a gigantic mansion on a hill overlooking the entire city like a super villain?”

“So I'm a super villain now, am I?”

Bodhi rolled his eyes as they pulled into an underground parking structure. Cassian parked in a numbered space and led him toward an elevator bank near the back. Once inside, he again scanned the card he had shown the guard before selecting a floor. He reached over to brush at Bodhi's cheek before leaning in for a kiss.

Bodhi practically melted into it, hands coming up to catch at Cassian's jacket as he parted his lips. Cassian was quick to take advantage, pulling him tight against him, hand tangled tightly in his hair. He released Bodhi only when the elevator chimed. Bodhi felt weak in the knees; he cleared his throat and stumbled after Cassian, legs unsteady.

They were in a narrow hallway decorated with generic prints. It had the feel of a hotel chain. Cassian led him toward a door at the end, number 721. He set about unlocking the door. Bodhi wanted to ask about the three deadbolts but figured it would be in poor taste. Instead, he let Cassian usher him in and stood in awe as the locks were secured behind him.

Beyond the entryway, there was a formal sitting area; a dining room painted dark red opened off of it, behind a pair of open french glass doors. Beyond was the kitchen, and from the little glimpse he had it was clearly ultramodern and fully stocked. A balcony opened off to the side, showing a luxurious view of the hills and downtown beyond. It looked like the kind of places he and Luke looked at online; the places he could never afford. It was the kind of place Leia had, that Bodhi quietly envied even as Luke mocked it.

Unlike Leia's, there was no lived in feeling. The rooms had a sterile look, no knickknacks or personal pictures visible. Aside from the worn spot on the door and the scuff marks along the wall, it hardly looked as if anyone called it home.

Bodhi startled as Cassian brushed his hand along the back of his neck. “You okay?”

“Um, yeah. Just...this place looks expensive,” he finished lamely.

Cassian shrugged, pressing close behind him. “It wasn't my first choice, but the security is unparalleled, so...” He kissed behind his ear, making Bodhi groan softly. “You have a few choices right now. One, we can stop and call it a night. I can have someone take you home after a cup of coffee and a promise for a second date. Two, we can talk more, get to know each other better. Or three....”

“Three?” Bodhi asked breathlessly as Cassian's arms wound tight around his waist.

“Three, we can take this to the bedroom. I promise it's a lot nicer than in here.”

Bodhi placed his hands on top of Cassian's, pressing back against where Cassian was rubbing against his back. “I don't think you want this to end.”

Cassian pressed closer, lips brushing his ear. “While that may be the truth, I want to know what you want. I tend to be the jealous type and once something is mine I don't like to share it.”

“And if I ever wanted to end this?” Bodhi asked, a shiver running down his back at his possessive words.

“Then we can sit down and discuss it. I'm not as horrible as you think.”

“I never thought you were horrible.”

“Then what do you want?”

Bodhi pulled loose and turned to face him. He leaned in for another kiss, trying to show he could be just as possessive. “Bed. Definitely bed.”

“Good boy.” Cassian pushed him away, pointing toward the stairs. “Go.”

Bodhi tried to hide his reaction, but from the way Cassian's eyes narrowed he knew he had failed. As he was firmly pushed, Bodhi grabbed Cassian by the jacket, pulling him back in for another kiss. They somehow made it up the stairs without falling. Bodhi was pushed roughly against the wall, breathless from Cassian's tongue tracing along his. He was finally released and hurried down the hall and through a closed door.

Bodhi paid little attention to the room surrounding them, caught up in the rush as Cassian pulled at his clothes. He batted his hands away, dropping onto the edge of the bed to pull off his shoes as Cassian carefully worked off his jacket and shirt.

Bodhi frowned at his slower movements. “You're still hurt, aren't you?”

“It's just a few stitches. I've had worse.”

Bodhi shook his head. “Maybe this should wait,” he groaned. He really didn't want to stop.

“I'm fine,” Cassian growled, stepping forward to grab Bodhi's face.

“Yeah, well, I don't particularly fancy getting bled on during sex.” He knocked Cassian's hand away and reached for his belt. “You clean?”

“Yeah.” Cassian frowned at him.

“Great. Hand me my jacket.” Bodhi took it from him and searched the pocket, pulling out the condoms he had stuffed in before leaving home. He held one up triumphantly.

Cassian snorted. “Bubblegum flavored? What are you, twelve?”

“Never ever say anything like that in the bedroom again, not if you want sex. Regular condoms taste like shit so shut up. Pick one for yourself. At least, I'm going to assume you're going to reciprocate the favor?”

“Of course. What kind of jackasses have you been dating?”

“A fair number.” Bodhi shooed him back and stood up. “Pants off and get on the bed. I've been dreaming about this and I'm sick of waiting.”

“Have you really?” Cassian asked, incredulous as he moved to comply.

“More than I'd like to admit.” Bodhi's eyes widen. “And the real thing is clearly better than I could ever imagine.”

“Thank you for the confidence boost.” The smile was back, brighter than before.

Bodhi knelt between his legs, suddenly nervous. Like Cassian had said, he had a number of scars on his body, aside from the wound currently covered on his side. One near his abdomen looked suspiciously like a gun shot wound. He rolled his neck before surging forward for a kiss. “Ready?”

“Beyond ready. Get to work.”

He stuck his tongue out. “Just for that I should take my time.” Instead, he fumbled with the packet and rolled it on. He hid his grin in Cassian's thigh as he heard him moaned above him. He gave his cock a gentle little rub, watching it twitch before leaning in to kiss the head. He closed his eyes as he licked at it, lazily moving up and down the shaft as Cassian swore above him. Bodhi pressed his arms against his legs, holding him still. He listened to him muttering something in Spanish, recognizing a word or two before he opened his mouth wide and took him as deep as he could.

He gagged slightly as Cassian bucked against him, his body curling over him as he pressed his hands into his hair. Bodhi pinched at his leg, easing back slightly as Cassian relaxed his grip. Taking a deep breath, he continued on, drawing him deeper into his mouth. He waited until Cassian settled down before moving again, hollowing his cheeks.

He could tell from the noises he was making that Cassian wasn't going to last long. He redoubled his efforts, swallowing when he took him as deep as he could manage. He eased back slightly as Cassian cried out, hands twisting in his hair bordering on painful even as a jolt of pleasure shot down his spine. He slowly pulled off him, kissing the tip one more time before sitting up.

Bodhi felt proud that he had yet to lose his skills. Cassian had fallen back against the pillows, eyes closed as he panted harshly. He looked wrecked, sweat beading on his chest, hair plastered to his forehead. Bodhi brushed a finger over his knee, smiling when Cassian whined and reached for him. He let himself be pulled close, accepting a kiss as Cassian rolled on top of him. “Condom?” he mumbled.

Bodhi felt around until he found one, pressing it into his hand. With a groan, Cassian sat up. He tied his off quickly, dropping it into the can next to the bed before pushing at Bodhi's legs.

“You didn't tell me you were that good,” he muttered, glaring at him as he opened the packet.

Bodhi shrugged, looking as smug as he could considering how hard he was. “Well, I couldn't have you thinking I was easy. Had to leave something a mystery.”

Cassian rolled his eyes. He flicked his cock, making him jump. He pushed Bodhi's legs farther apart, bordering a bit on the painful side before biting his thigh hard enough to leave a mark.

Bodhi yelped and tried to squirm. Cassian gripped his legs tighter. “Tell me to stop and I will. Otherwise, don't move.” Bodhi held himself as still as he could, trembling. Cassian kissed his knee. “Okay?” He nodded, settling back against the pillows.

Bodhi nearly screamed as Cassian took him into his mouth. He was anything but gentle; he seemed determined to make Bodhi fall apart twice as quickly as he did. It didn't take long for him to start panting, whining as Cassian rubbed at his balls while sucking for all he was worth. What pushed him over the edge was the tip of a callused finger that Cassian slipped into his hole; with a shout, Bodhi arched up, hands gripping the sheets as he came.

He was still shaking when Cassian pulled off him; he reached for him, whining as he climbed off the bed. “Just relax. I'll be right back,” Cassian assured him. Bodhi curled up on himself, eyes closing as exhaustion washed over him. He rolled toward Cassian when returned and gently wiped at his forehead with a cloth. Bodhi cracked an eye open, trying and failing to return Cassian's smile. “Here.” He took the offered water, gulping it down before dropping back against the pillows.

“Snuggle time?” he asked, lips pouting when he realized Cassian was still kneeling on the edge of the bed.

Cassian laughed softly and tossed the cloth to the side. “Fine. Come here.” He laid down and pulled him close. Bodhi sighed happily and snuggled in, arms tight around his chest. “Good night Bodhi Rook.”

“Night. Can we do that again?”

“We'll talk in the morning. But I think it might be a yes, after we establish a few ground rules.”

“Okay. Sleepy now, night night.”

He didn't even mind the sound of Cassian's laughter as he drifted off. If this was what being in over his head was like, he might have discovered a new kink. That was a problem for tomorrow however. For now, he'd take having his brains sucked out through his dick and deal with whatever problems arose later.

Maybe being well and truly fucked was worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mind the tags, they are probably going to start changing. And to everyone that's commented or left kudos, you guys rock! Next chapter is planned out and hopefully I'll get a chance to write it soon. Plot is a comin' and tensions are going to rise.


	5. Chapter 5

Bodhi groaned as the glow from the windows finally became too much to ignore. He pulled the blanket over his head, pressing closer to the warm weight beside him. He gave a happy sigh as gentle fingers brushed through his hair, slowly working down his neck and back. He squirmed away as they found the ticklish spot between his ribs, cracking one eye open to glare at Cassian.

“Good morning. About time you woke up.”

“Don't wanna,” he mumbled, turning away. He grabbed the blankets and attempted to pull them away with him.

He could feel Cassian holding in a laugh behind him. Bodhi hummed happily as he leaned in close, draping himself along his back.

“If you wake up, I can make it worth your while.”

Bodhi shivered as he felt a hand tracing along over the curve of his ass. Fuck. “Not until you're healed. I already told you I don't want blood involved. Not my kind of kink.”

“What kind do you have?” Cassian's curiosity bled through his words, though his hands never slowed their movements.

“How much time do you have?”

He felt Cassian shudder behind him. “Maybe I shouldn't have let you tell your friend my name. Now it'll be harder to keep you locked away for myself.”

“Am I about to be your gun moll? Is there even a male definition?” He yawned and turned over. “Or do you have a desk somewhere? Planning to have me sit beneath it and—”

Cassian's hand came up and clamped over his mouth as he glared at him. “You need to shut up if you don't want this to escalate right this second.”

Bodhi rolled his eyes and licked at his palm. With a curse, Cassian pulled his hand back. Stretching, Bodhi sat up and rubbed at his face. “Next time. Assuming there will be one?”

“Is that what you want?”

Bodhi thought about it carefully. “Yeah, I do. I mean, maybe it's the afterglow, but I'd really like to take things further. I probably shouldn't, seeing as you keep trying to warn me away, but I had fun last night.”

Cassian sat up and kissed him. “You definitely surprised me last night, in a good way.”

“You said we had things to discuss? If we wanted this to continue? Ground rules or something?”

Cassian snorted. “I'm surprised you even heard that last night. You were pretty out of it.”

“Yeah, well, you were pretty ruthless.”

“You enjoyed it.”

“Very much.” Bodhi kissed him in return. “And you'd be surprised what I overhear. People tend to think I'm not paying attention to what's going on around me, but I've hear many things that I probably shouldn't have and remembered them.”

Cassian was thoughtful as he studied him. “Good to know.” He stood up and moved across the room. Bodhi bit his lip; he wasn't even remotely embarrassed as Cassian turned, catching him staring at his ass. He started pulling on cloths, ignoring Bodhi's whined protest. “Get up. We can eat and discuss things. After, we can take a shower if you wish.”

Bodhi perked up. “I guess that's it worth waking up earlier than I'd like.”

“Bodhi, it's almost nine.” He threw Bodhi's clothes at him. “Up. I won't say it again.”

Bodhi wagged a finger at him. “I know you intend that to be a threat, but that only works if I don't enjoy it.”

“Authority kink. Got it.”

He was snorted as Cassian opened the door.

“Who has an authority kink?”

Bodhi screamed, pulling the covers up. In the doorway, Cassian stiffened, towering over Kestrel as she stood holding a stack of letters.

“What do you think you're doing?”

“Eavesdropping. You two are far more boring than I expected. Breakfast will be done soon, so hurry up.” She smiled at Bodhi and turned at stalked off.

“Fucking hell,” Bodhi mumbled, falling back against the pillows.

Cassian sighed. “You get used to it. I'll see you downstairs.”

“Sure, sure. Just as soon as my heart starts beating again.” Bodhi listened to him move off before slowly climbing out of the bed. He stumbled toward the en suite, marveling at the size of it. Even without the tub, the bathroom was easily as big as his bedroom. He washed up quickly, pulling on Luke's now incredibly wrinkled shirt and pants and moved slowly toward the stairs. He could hear Kestrel and Cassian arguing below, voices quiet but heated.

“What the hell were you thinking, barging in here like that? I told you to stay away.”

“I had no choice, you weren't answering your phone.”

“And what was so important that you couldn't wait?”

“This.”

Bodhi came to the bottom of the stairs in time to hear Cassian curse. “You're sure?” he asked, anger clouding his words.

“Have I lied to you yet?”

“Yes, but not about something like this. Fuck.”

Bodhi cleared his throat before walking into the kitchen, giving them time to wrap up whatever they were discussing. Kestrel glanced at him, winking as she turned back to the stove and the pan of eggs she had left cooking. Cassian had his eyes closed as leaned against the small table looking out over the terrace. “Everything okay?”

Kestrel pointed toward the cabinet. “Grab some plates and we can eat.”

Bodhi moved to comply, glancing at Cassian. It worried him that she hadn't answered. He stayed silent as she dished up the food, pointing toward the table. “Take those. I'll bring the coffee.”

“Cassian?” Bodhi asked, noting that she had only filled two plates.

“Ignore him. He'll be fine.” She nodded toward the table, sitting on the chair closest to the terrace doors. “Come join me. At least you're a gentleman, Bodhi.”

He perched on the edge of the chair across from her, watching Cassian's back. Eventually he sighed and pulled out a chair to sit with them, refusing Bodhi's offer of his food.

“And you can't take care of this yourself?” Cassian asked, sounding tired.

“I could,” Kestrel said, holding her mug up to her face. “But is that the message you truly want to send?”

“No,” he growled, fist slamming into the glass.

Bodhi jumped before he got himself under control, noticing that Kestrel was watching his every move. “I, ah, I take it something happened?”

“It seems that our lovely Cassian here has told you his real name, so I'll be bold. Bodhi, dear, just how much has he told you about us?” Kestrel asked, face blank.

“Very little. He told me that you two used to date. That you wanted him to go out with me.” He shrugged. “I know you two are either involved with the mob, or assassins, maybe drug lords. Not that I care,” he added quickly. “I'm not going to tell anyone.”

“No, I don't think you are. You would have said something already if you were going to.” Kestrel was thoughtful. “Do you know who I really am?”

Bodhi nodded nervously, eyes wide.

“Then what's my name?”

“Jyn,” he whispered.

She smiled, a genuine one that lit up her face. “See, I told you we could use him.”

“No.”

She blinked in surprise at the vehemence behind his words. “Cassian, they've already figured out how messages are getting through—”

“No!” He stood up swiftly, knocking his chair back. “You don't get to make the decisions here! And you can't have it both ways. You can't tell me to date someone and then put them in danger. It doesn't work that way!”

“You never cared when it was me,” she accused, eyes cold.

“That is a lie and you know it.”

“What are you two talking about?” Bodhi asked, starting to feel annoyed. “I thought you wanted us to go on a date? What do you mean 'use me'? Was this all some big set up?”

Cassian scowled at Jyn, pointing his finger at her. “Fix this.”

She rolled her eyes. “Both of you calm the fuck down. Bodhi, yes. I do want you and Cassian to go out. I'm sick of him being all brooding because he's no longer getting laid. I think you're pretty cute, and obviously Cassian agrees, and you seem like a nice guy, so I don't have to worry about you taking advantage of him. But I also told him that I thought you could help us. Cassian disagrees.”

Bodhi shook his head. “No offense, but I really don't want to kill anyone.”

Jyn snorted, dissolving into helpless laughter. “No, you moron. You'd never survive in the forefront. No, I was thinking more along the lines of delivering messages. You'd be the perfect cover, seeing as you're already driving all over the city. No one would ever catch on. And we could pay you, make it legal.”

Cassian covered his face. “You are going to ruin this before it can even get off the ground.”

Bodhi rolled his eyes. “Okay, one, give me a little credit here. I didn't run away once I knew what you two were—or at least suspected. Instead, I jumped into it. Was it foolish? Probably. But I'm a grown adult and can make my own mistakes. I'm never going to learn if I don't. Also, still here, in case you didn't notice. So don't try and drive me away before anything really happens, okay?”

Jyn turned to glare at Cassian. “You two didn't even sleep together?”

“Blow jobs,” Bodhi said, blushing slightly. “We were going to discuss date number two this morning, but....”

Jyn shook her head. “Cassian has something more important to do, isn't that right?”

Cassian reluctantly nodded. “I'll get going.” He hesitated, glancing at Bodhi.

He shrugged. “I can call a cab. I still have some money left.”

“I'll drive him. I'll join you after,” Jyn said.

Cassian sighed and gestured for Bodhi to follow him. He paused by the door, hands coming up to rest on his shoulders. “This wasn't how I was planning for this morning to go.”

“Do I want to know what's going on?”

“Not entirely.” Cassian brushed a strand of hair from his eyes. “Are you still up for another date?”

“Just don't get stabbed or shot before this one, okay?”

Cassian laughed softly and pulled him into a kiss. “Of course. We'll talk later. I'll call you tonight, if that's okay?”

Bodhi kissed him back, refusing to let go. “Where'd possessive Cassian go?”

“He's waiting to make sure that Jyn doesn't chase you off first.”

“Too bad. As much as I like this Cassian, possessive one is a bit more fun.”

Cassian gave him a look, eyes bright as he pulled the door open and left.

Sighing, Bodhi turned to find Jyn standing there watching, arms crossed over her chest. “Alright?”

“Alright. Go change unless you're okay with the walk of shame.”

“Wouldn't be the first time,” he muttered. He went to retrieve his shoes, checking that he had his phone and wallet before coming back downstairs.

Jyn glanced over as she typed away on her phone. She nodded toward him as his buzzed. “Sent you a text. Read it over and delete it. You can ask about it in the car. Let's go.”

Bodhi frowned as he read over what she had sent. He opened his mouth, closing it again as she shook her head. Right, wait until the car. She led him down to the garage and toward a blue sedan. He climbed into the passenger seat, breaking his silence once they were on the freeway and he caught sight of her smirk. “You're horrible, you realize that don't you?” He sighed and looked at the message once more. “This is the place I dropped you two off at that first night. Why'd you send this to me?”

“Thought you'd remember. This is just in case. If anything happens, to you or to Cassian, go there. They're friends of ours, they'll help you.” She shrugged as she dodged traffic. Bodhi had to close his eyes once as she squeezed past a delivery truck. “And if you ever can't reach either of us, go straight to them. Do you understand?”

Bodhi gulped. “Yes.”

Jyn sighed. “I do like you, and I want Cassian to be happy. He told you we used to date? Well, it was a bit more than that. Obviously, it didn't work out between us.”

“And why was that?”

“Because I like a man I can control and that clearly isn't Cassian.” She smiled, face losing it's harshness. “Don't let him drive you away. He'll try, especially after he finds out that I'm still going to offer you a job. You heard us talking about it. I do think you can be of help to us. We need someone to carry information, someone that would have a reason to go places where our people would stand out.”

“What would it involve?” Bodhi asked, wary.

“You already deliver food to people. So, this would tack on to that. Along with the food, you'd be picking up letters, files, things of that nature, and taking them to an associate of ours. No drugs, no weapons, no money. And I'd make sure you'd be compensated nicely. Sounds fair?”

Bodhi was quiet as they turned off onto the streets.

“You can say no. Nothing will change. But if you want, you can try one delivery. If it bothers you, that will be it. Just think about it, okay?”

“Okay.” They had pulled up in front of his building; Bodhi quickly got out, sighing as Jyn followed him. “What now?”

“Now,” she said, giving him a look, “I'm coming up with you to drop off a 'thank you for sleeping with my friend' gift.” She opened the trunk to reveal a box of pastries.

“Seriously?”

She grinned. “That and I need to check what kind of locks you have on your doors and windows. If I don't approve, I'm replacing them tomorrow.”

“I think you're just being nosy. You've already been inside, you know what we have.”

She stuck her tongue out and waited for him to unlock the door. “Fine. I want to met your roommate, get a feel for him. I need to know he's not going to find out about any of this.”

“He knows about Cassian,” Bodhi said as they got in the elevator.

“And what, exactly, did you tell him?”

“That his name is Cassian, that we met a while ago and I recently ran into him again and he asked me out. That I was staying at his place last night and that he was really cute.”

Jyn studied him before snorting. “I can see why he likes you. You're adorable.”

Bodhi was scowling as he opened his door. “Yeah, well, you're not.” He slammed it behind her, glancing toward the kitchen where he heard Luke laughing about something. “Hey, what's going on?”

Luke's head popped around the corner, smile fading when he saw Bodhi. “My clothes! What the hell? I go out of my way to lend them to you and you ruin them!”

Bodhi rolled his eyes. “They're not ruined, just wrinkled. Calm down. Besides,” he said, nodding toward Jyn, “we have company.”

Luke hurried over, tugging his sleeve. “You are so paying for the dry cleaning. Oh,” he said, noticing Jyn for the first time. “Ah, hey?”

“This is...” Bodhi hesitated, not sure how to introduce her.

“I'm Cassian's sister. He got called into the office, so I brought Bodhi home. You must be Luke.” She held her hand out, pleasant smile on her face.

“Ah, yes, nice to meet you.” Luke took her hand, raising an eyebrow at Bodhi.

“Luke! Your phone!” Leia stepped into the living room, holding the phone so that Wedge's face was visible. She froze as she caught sight of Jyn.

“Shit!” Luke ran over and grabbed it. “Hey babe, what's going on? No way!” He hurried back toward the kitchen, guests forgotten.

Bodhi glance back and forth between the two women, the mounting tension making him want to run. “Do, ah, do you two know each other?”

“We've met.” Leia glared at Jyn, face hard. “Bodhi, might we have a word?”

“Do we have to?” he asked, edging toward the door.

“Yes.” She pointed toward Jyn. “Just as soon as she leaves.”

“Oh, no. I think I'll stay for a bit. This just got interesting.” Jyn smiled at her; with her teeth showing, it made her look feral.

“Fine. Bedroom. Now.”

Bodhi slowly shuffled forward. A pissed off Leia terrified him; it reminded him of when Jyn pulled the gun on him. He flinched as Jyn took his arm. Maybe this was where it ended. Maybe he'd wind up in the witness protection program after the two women killed each other and Cassian turned on him. Maybe—

He jumped as Leia slammed his bedroom door, trapping him against his bed. He sat down as his legs gave out. Jyn, looking more amused than upset, leaned against his dresser, arms crossed as she watched Leia block the door after locking it. “Talk,” she said, voice cold.

“About—about what?” he asked, playing dumb.

Leia's nostrils flared. “Do you know who she is? What's she's done? How on earth did you meet her?”

“She's, ah, she's...” Bodhi trailed off, unsure what to say. A glance toward Jyn told him that she'd be no help.

“Long time no see, princess,” Jyn said, blowing a kiss to Leia, who pointed a finger at her.

“Don't even. Bodhi, you do realize this woman has been arrested before, right? What was the charge again? Aggravated assault?”

“As I seem to recall, I was cleared of all charges. Wasn't it your mother who got me off? Something about not enough evidence and an air-tight alibi?”

“Still using a fake name, Liana? Or should I say Tanith?”

Jyn smiled at her. “Been doing some research? It's Jyn, actually. Jyn Andor.” She stepped closer to Leia, leaning in until their faces were mere inches apart. “Good luck finding anything on me. I'm completely innocent.”

Leia huffed, refusing to back down.

Jyn's smile grew. “Bodhi, I must say. You keep getting more and more interesting.” She winked at him. “See you later. Remember what we talked about.” She reached for the doorknob, brushing past Leia. “See you around princess.” She kissed her cheek on her way out.

Neither Bodhi or Leia moved, even after they heard the front door close. Time felt frozen; the tension in the air was just waiting to snap, waiting for a signal to release it. It came in the form of Luke's laugh from the next room, sharp and clear through the wall.

Leia drew herself up, lips pursed. “Well? Care to explain what the fuck is going on?”

Bodhi shook his head. His eyes dropped to stare at his feet.

“Bodhi, where did you meet that girl?”

“Driving,” he whispered.

“You picked her up? As a ride share?” She waited for his nod, sighing. “Then why did she come up here?”

“She brought me home. From my date.”

“She drove you home?” Leia gave him a skeptical look, eyebrow raised. “And how did that happen? And tell me the truth, I'll know if you're lying.”

Bodhi rug his hands, sniffing slightly. “She, ah. She knew my date. They...work...together.”

Leia was silent, staring him down. Bodhi fought against the rising panic in his chest, struggling to hold back unexpected tears. Shit. Shit, he'd fucked up. Leia was going to figure everything out and Cassian was going to get in trouble and hate him forever and someone was going to probably come kill him. Or worse, Leia would tell his mother everything that was going on recently and she'd make him come home and—

“Oh, Bodhi. What have you gotten yourself into?” Leia whispered, sitting beside him.

“I don't know.” He hiccuped, fighting to hold back his tears. Last night had been wonderful and now everything was going downhill. “I don't know, but—but it's my mistake to make....”

“Is it? Is it just yours? Bodhi, whatever this is,” she said, gesturing towards the door. “This? It involves all of us. That girl is a part of something you don't want to get mixed up in. Her court documents? They're sealed. She was a kid, Bodhi, when my mother got her off. She nearly killed a man. And since then, my mother has helped her a few times. You know the kind of people she works with.”

“Some of them are your friends,” he accused.

Leia went still before sighing and wrapping her arm around his shoulder. “You're right. Fine, you're right. I'll back off. But Bodhi? If she's a part of what I think she's is, then this isn't just going to hurt you. It could hurt Luke. And while I might treat you like my brother, if anything happens to Luke, I will never let you forget it. Understand? You know why our father went to jail, correct?” She waited until he nodded before continuing. “I really hope your date last night is worth all this.”

“It was. I truly think it was.”

“Good. Because you might lose everything for it.”

Bodhi wiped at his face. “Don't tell anyone. Please?”

Leia studied him. She sighed and took his hand. “Don't fuck everything up Bodhi.”

He wasn't trying to, but life seemed to be doing it's best to screw him over right now. He nodded and squeezed her hand.

“So Luke said you were going to get laid last night. Was it at least worth it?”

Bodhi blushed. Oh, it was definitely worth it. From Leia's snorted laugh, she knew it too. He was definitely in over his head. What was one more little leap?

He waited until Leia had left to text Jyn.

BR: I'm in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Bodhi. He likes to keep things complicated. Coming soon, more familiar faces.
> 
> Thank you to everyone reading this. New chapter postings might start getting more sporadic as this gets more complex, but it does have a clear ending.


	6. Chapter 6

BR: I'm sorry about the shirt

LS: Dude, it was designer :(

LS: It's fine though, probably just needs an iron. Had a good time?

Bodhi lay on his bed reflecting on everything that had happened. The date had been nice; it was one of the few times lately where he felt like the other person actually cared about what he had to say (and the irony of that wasn't lost on him—his first good date in two years and it was with a gangster). The sex afterwards had been better. Bodhi couldn't keep the grin off his face as he remembered everything. He had a feeling that he and Cassian were going to get along well on that front. The morning after had left much to be desired, but that was probably his fault.

BR: Yeah. Can't wait for the next :)

LS: Dude! Finally!

Bodhi rolled his eyes and set his phone aside. Luke had hurried off not long after Leia left, yelling something about Wedge and tickets. Bodhi suspected it had something to do with the research Luke was currently obsessing over but he didn't ask; Luke would undoubtedly go into excruciating detail later.

He was debating whether to go out looking for work or just spend the day hiding from the world. It was the weekend and, while he'd be fighting for fares, he stood a chance at making some decent money. In the end, he rolled toward the wall and closed his eyes. Maybe after a nap.

His phone alerting him to a text woke him late in the afternoon. Groaning, he fumbled for it, blinking sleep from his eyes as he tried to focus. He frowned—he didn't recognize the number, but the words 'good boy' seemed familiar. Must be Jyn, he thought, changing the contact info.

J: Have you thought over what I asked or are you planning to remain a good boy?

BR: What would I need to do?

J: Nothing yet. I have some stuff for you to read, contract to sign. First job will be Monday.

Bodhi stared at the words, trying to make sense of everything. Contract? What was she talking about? Before he could get too far, his phone buzzed again. He looked through the photos she had sent, eyes widening. The legal phrasing being used in the parts he could see were some of the most complex he had encountered in years. Who were these people?

BR: WTF am I reading?

J: Standard issue. States that you are our employee and what your expected wage will be. NDA, health insurance, etc. This still your email? I'll forward the full contract. You'll need to send an electronic signature.

He didn't even want to think about how she had found that information. He quickly sent a yes and reached for his laptop. He pulled up the contract and read over it carefully, growing more concerned as he neared the end.

BR: What happened to a trial first?

J: It talks about it in section ten. We have the right to null and void any written documents if you fail to pass our probationary period.

J: But if you do you get a dental plan :)

BR: You're not funny >:(

J: Since it's listed as contract work, you'll make around $100 per delivery, plus mileage if it's outside the agreed upon range. Sound fair?

BR: So, this is a legit business?

J: Do you really want to know that?

Bodhi hesitated before clicking the agree button. Fuck it. The less he knew the better off he'd be. Probably. Besides, if it was just papers, that wasn't so bad.

God, I really am a moron, he thought.

His conversation continued with Jyn throughout the day, even after he had decided to go out for the evening crowds. In between pickups, he would find himself asking her questions and trading snarky comebacks. He learned little about her and Cassian, other than they had known each other for years and Jyn was very protective. He felt mildly disappointed each time his phone buzzed and it was from her, not Cassian himself.

By the time he returned home that night, he had failed to hear from him. Biting his lip, he sent him a quick text before laying down. It took a long time for sleep to come.

* * *

On Monday, he was in the middle of filling out another application when his phone buzzed.

J: First pick up. Food delivery. Remember that place?

He rubbed at his eyes, glad for the distraction.

BR: Same as before? What time?

J: Anytime from now. Tell him it's for Little Sister

He stood up and stretched. Might as well get it over with.

He drove through the streets, nerves starting to make a reappearance. He still had yet to hear from Cassian and Jyn had had little to say about that. Be patient had been her only advice. Bodhi just hoped that he was okay. He didn't think he would have ghosted him. Or would he? Bodhi barely knew him, would it really be that surprising if he did? Or maybe he had found out about what Jyn currently had him doing and disapproved. Maybe he was mad at him. Maybe....

Bodhi sighed with relief as he saw the building up ahead. He circled the block, managing to find a space close by. Rolling his shoulders, he locked his car and fed the meter. The windows of the restaurant were tinted, making it hard for him to peek in. He blinked at the little bell that rang as he opened the door.

“Welcome! Come in, come in. What can we get you?”

Bodhi paused, door closing gently behind him. The interior was painted a warm gold that made it seem cheery and inviting, at odds with the faded awning outside. Mismatched tables and chairs were scattered around; shelves lined with tea pots and boxes of tea and coffee filled one side. Sitting at a table near the back, a smiling man dressed in an oversized sweater was folding napkins around plastic utensils. He climbed to his feet, reaching out for the cane propped up next to him. “Dining in or takeout?”

Bodhi shook his head, blushing when he realized the man couldn't see. “Ah, no. I'm here for a pick up?”

The man cocked his head to the side before whistling loudly.

“Chirrut, for fucks sake, I'm not a dog.” The cloth separating the kitchen from the main room parted and a large man stepped out, looking grumpy. His hair was messily braided and pulled back into a loose bun. He frowned at Bodhi, eyes narrowing suspiciously. “You look familiar.”

Bodhi found he couldn't move. While he had never actually seen the man that first night, he was clearly the one that had helped Cassian. He recognized the distinctive bass of his voice.

“He says he's here for a pick up. Did any orders come in?” Chirrut asked, leaning heavily on the cane.

The man stared at Bodhi for a moment before sighing. “What's the name?” he asked, sounding resigned.

“I was told it was for Little Sister?”

“So she's using that one...” Nodding, he ducked back into the kitchen. “Ten minutes!” he yelled from within.

Chirrut returned to his chair. He patted the one next to him. “Here, come join me. Baze will be done only when he's ready. You must be new. Pleased to meet you. I'm Chirrut. That big lug is Baze. And you are?”

“Oh, ah, Bodhi.” Bodhi pulled out a chair across from him, settling in nervously. “You two, ah. You two know Jyn?”

“Troublemaker,” Baze called from the kitchen, the sound of pans being tossed around nearly drowning out his words.

Chirrut snorted. “We've run into her a few times. Same with—” He hesitated, unsure how to go on.

“Cassian,” Bodhi said, absentmindedly toying with one of the napkins.

Chirrut hummed, eyes closing. “Seems you know more than the normal ones they send. Can I assume we'll be seeing a lot of you?”

“Maybe?”

Chirrut smiled and pushed an empty tea cup towards him. “Have a drink. You've been here before, right? On Halloween?”

Bodhi carefully poured from the pot, gulping. “I, ah, dropped them off. In the back.”

Nodding, Chirrut leaned back. “So you must be the Pilot they were talking about. Jyn must have gotten to you even after Cassian told her to stay away. Interesting.”

Bodhi was saved from responding by Baze's return. He set a bag with a takeout container in it and a to-go mug before him. Bodhi's eyes widened as the smell of something delicious washed over him. His stomach started growling.

“Here.” Baze handed him an envelope. “Address is on the front. Give it to him only. Don't leave it with anyone else. If he's not there, come straight back.” He looked him up and down, eyes appraising. “Feel free to come back after for a free meal.”

“I have money,” Bodhi muttered, hackles rising. He grabbed the bag and stood up.

“Do you? Well, feel free to stop by anyway. And you might want to think twice before you do this. That girl, she isn't very nice.”

“I've noticed.”

Baze's lips turned up slightly. He nodded as he sat in Bodhi's vacated chair. “Okay, Pilot. Just be careful.”

Chirrut waved as he headed for the door, food and drink in hand. Bodhi waited until he was settled into the car to check the address written on a sticky note. Fairmont Plaza on East 74th. He typed it into his GPS, trying to visualize the area. He thought there were a lot of office buildings over there. He frowned at the tiny arrow drawn into the corner; flipping it over, he say that Baze had added a name and a note to hide the envelope in the bag.

“What am I getting myself into?” he muttered.

He tried not to think too much into—anything, really—as he drove. Fairmont Plaza turned out to be an nondescript office building with an unusually high number of unmarked police cars parked in the blocks surrounding it. Bodhi tried to shake it off; just because a car was a Crown Victoria with no identifying features and was painted black didn't mean that it was cop's car. Lots of people drove that style. He was clearly spending too much time around Luke, if that was the first thing he thought of. This was real life, after all, not a movie.

He pushed open the glass doors and headed for the reception desk in the middle of the room, nervous smile on his face. “Hi,” he greeted the lady, holding up the bag. “I have a delivery for Kay Esso.”

The woman eyed him coldly, before pressing a button. “Third floor. I'll let him know you're on your way. Have your ID ready before you reach the metal detectors.”

Metal detectors? Bodhi mumbled a thanks and hurried away. He could feel her eyes on him as he passed her desk and turned the corner—

And came face to face with the largest security checkpoint he had seen outside of the airport. The guards were definitely armed too. What the hell was Jyn up to?

“ID,” one of the guards said, sounding extremely bored. Bodhi fumbled it out of his wallet and handed it over. The guard stared at his picture before handing it to the one sitting at a computer. “Empty your pockets and step forward.”

Gulping, he set his things in the offered basket, watching as they were sent through the scanner before he passed through the machine. “Arms,” the guard said, holding up a hand held scanner. He moved it across his body before pointing it at his feet, making him lift them one by one. He finally waved him forward.

As he shoved everything back into his pockets, the man at the desk handed him his driver's license and pointed toward a taped x on the floor. “Stand there. Don't smile.” Bodhi tried not to frown as the man held up a camera and snapped a pic. He typed away for a few minutes before handing him a printed sticker badge, his face displayed in one corner with 'visitor', the days date, and his name filling in the rest. “You can head up now. Don't wander anywhere but where you are expected. Have a pleasant day.”

And just like that he was dismissed. Grabbing the bag and the cup (which besides being sent through the scanner had been ignored), he edged past the desk and toward the bank of elevators behind it. He raised his eyebrow at the camera trained on the doors, not surprised to see a very obvious one inside as well. He pressed the number three and tried to pretend like everything was normal.

He stepped off into a sea of cubicles stretching seemingly endlessly into the distance and he had a sudden flash back to his former job. He shook his head and looked for any indication as to where this Kay person might be.

“Can I help you?”

Turning, he noticed a man in a ill-fitting suit watching him, leaning around his partition in a poor attempt to hide his curiosity.

“I have a delivery for Esso. Do you know where I need to go?”

The man rolled towards him, office chair leaning far enough back that he was in danger of tipping over. “He's in a meeting. I'll hold it for him.”

Bodhi tightened his grip on the bag, shaking his head. “No, I'm supposed to hand it to him. He, he hasn't paid yet.” When the guy in the suit frowned, Bodhi stammered “register was having issues, cash only today.”

“What's cash only?”

“This guy says he's got something for you,” suit guy said, rolling back toward his desk. “If you're ordering in, get enough to share next time.”

“Not unless you pay for your share. I'm not fronting everyone again.”

Bodhi blinked at the impossible tall man standing behind him. He nervously held out the bag and the cup. The man stared at him, face blank before he rolled his eyes. “Come with me.” He led him toward the back and into a conference room crammed full of boxes; a tiny desk was tucked into the corner, it's surface lined with monitors and stacks of paper. “Close the door please. You can set the bag on the desk.”

Bodhi followed his orders, trying to shift things out of the way as the man dropped into his chair with a sigh. He grabbed the bag before Bodhi could set it down, pulling the envelope out and lifting the flap to frown at the contents. “Next time, just have them call me down for you. Don't go through the checkpoint unless you have to.” He scribbled a note on a scrap of paper and handed it over. “Take that back and tell him to use less garlic next time.”

“Of course, Mr—”

“Just call me Kay. Oh, and I don't tip so make sure that she-devil pays you for this.”

Bodhi smiled and hurried away. He managed to hold himself together as he passed the guards and the receptionist, driving away until he felt safe enough to pull over. He parked in the lot of a convenience store and grabbed his phone.

BR: Where did you fucking send me?!

J: Guess

Bodhi groaned and rubbed at his temple.

BR: I don't want to know do I?

J: Nope.

J: K is Cass's so you're probably safe

That didn't make Bodhi feel any better. He sat for a few more minutes, head resting on the steering wheel before drawing in a shaky breath. He drove back towards the restaurant, being careful not to break any laws on the way. He must have looked like shit because as soon as he walked inside Baze pointed him toward where Chirrut was sitting and headed for the back. “I'll make tea.”

“Having a good day?” Chirrut asked. His smile felt like it trying to mock Bodhi.

Bodhi flopped into the chair, nails digging into his palms. He was beginning to shake when Baze returned with a plate and a mug.

“Drink this. It's chamomile, it's supposed to be relaxing. Eat, that will help too.” Baze sat next to Chirrut, rolling his eye as he poked at him. “Chir, if you're hungry get up and get your own food. You are clearly anything but helpless.”

“Since when did the honeymoon end?” Chirrut complained, getting up to shuffle towards the counter. “You used to be nice.”

Baze shook his head and subtly shifted the plates out of the way was he brought over a tray of sweets. He met Bodhi's eyes, amused. “Whatever it is you're trying not to ask, just go for it.”

“I don't even know where to begin! Who are you two? Who was that man I delivered that bag to? And do I even want to know what's going on?”

“No,” Chirrut mumbled around a bite of chocolate.

Baze pushed at him, studying Bodhi. “Has Little Sister told you anything?”

“Her name. And—Jeron's real name....”

“We know them,” Baze said, waving off his hesitation.

“I know they're doing something...illegal.” Bodhi ate the food before him, barely slowing down. “And that man today. Kay? Is he...?”

Baze shrugged. “I can't tell you that. That needs to come from them. But, I would suggest that if you plan to work for Little Sister, you don't deliver to anyone else. You can trust Kay.”

“Can I? Can I trust you?”

Baze smiled. “I'm not the one that's going to turn you in.”

Bodhi stared at his empty plate. He sighed. “Do you think I should run?”

“You don't know us. Why ask that?”

“Because every rational thought and feeling I have tells me to get as far away from them as I can, and yet every time I think about...Jeron...I try to get closer.” Bodhi rubbed at his face. “I'm definitely going crazy.”

Chirrut pushed the sweets closer to him. “Not crazy. From what I've heard, he does like you. And Jyn's been on his case to find someone for a while. He won't hurt you, unless you force his hand. And Jyn won't send you into anything too dangerous; Cassian would kill her if she did.”

Bodhi smiled ruefully and finished his tea. “I just have no one I can talk to about this. I can't tell my friends, they're already too nosy. And I definitely can't tell my parents.”

“Then come talk to us. Any time, whether you're picking up or not.” Chirrut grinned. “Come keep a lonely old man company since his horrible husband obviously doesn't care.”

“You're an old fool, is what you are. He's right though. She told us she gave you our private number, in case of an emergency. We don't use their names here, not unless we have to. Same with you. Cassian will be Jeron, until he changes it again. Jyn is Little Sister. And you shall be Pilot. If anything happens, or if you need to hide—from anyone—come straight here. No questions asked.”

“What should I call you?” Bodhi asked.

“Baze and Chirrut are fine. We don't hide, not anymore. Besides,” Baze said, suddenly sounding menacing, “no one would dare mess with us.”

Bodhi smiled, feeling relieved for reasons he couldn't explain. “Thank you. How much do I owe you?”

“It's free,” Baze grumbled roughly.

Bodhi started to protest when Chirrut grabbed his hand with surprising strength. “We don't charge family. Understand?”

“Oh...right. Thank you. It was really good.” He pushed back from the table, smiling nervously. “See you soon.”

“Take care.”

“Oh,” Bodhi said as he reached the door. “I almost forgot this!” He hurried back to the table and fished the note out of his wallet. “Also, Kay said to use less garlic next time.”

Baze scowled at him. “My food is perfect and if he has any complaints he can tell me personally.”

“Dude, I'm just the Pilot. I only deliver the message. Get mad at him, not me.”

Chirrut's uncontrolled laughter followed him out the door. He grinned to himself as he started his car and headed home.

* * *

After a few days of hearing nothing from anyone besides Jyn, Bodhi had nearly given up on Cassian. He was sure that there was never going to be a second date. Luke seemed to sense, for once in his life, that Bodhi didn't want to talk about it and left him alone. He was also nice enough to ignore the three gallons of chocolate ice cream that moved into their freezer, though he did raise an eyebrow when they began disappearing just as fast as they arrived.

He had broken down and asked Jyn if she knew why Cassian wasn't responding to him on Wednesday night. At first all she would say was that he was working. She had finally admitted that she knew he had received Bodhi's texts and that he would just have to be patient.

Bodhi told himself it didn't matter. He hadn't wanted a relationship anyway. He had gotten exactly what he wanted, a night of fun and passion, as well as an unexpected job out of it. This would be better; at least he wouldn't have to have any awkward conversations with his mother about why he didn't want her fixing him up with anyone (or at least, no more than usual, since he was pretty sure Cassian would have been less than pleased about that). All in all, he found his temper shorter than usual, even though he told himself that nothing was wrong, and had even hung up on his mother earlier that day—and boy, was he going to pay for that later.

He was skimming through his and Luke's shared streaming account, trying to find anything that wasn't mob related (fucking Luke, didn't he ever watch anything else?), empty carton on the table next to him. His phone lit up, making him groan. It better not be his mother again. He had already silenced any alerts from her, though he wouldn't put it past her to “borrow” his father's phone to trying and get him to answer so she could start yelling at him. He was tempted to ignore it, but the flashing blue light in the corner was only irritating him more. Huffing, he unlocked his screen and saw that he finally had a message from Cassian.

HG: Is your friend home?

Bodhi frowned. What was that supposed to mean? He typed an abrupt no, throwing his phone aside as the doorbell rang.

This really wasn't his week. He climbed to his feet, worn pajama pants dragging as he stomped to the door. He yanked it open without bothering to check—

His eyes widen, breath catching in his throat. Cassian stood on the other side, shoulders slumped as he tucked his phone back into his filthy clothes. His hair was hanging over his eyes, the dark circles under them making him look sick. He tried to smile, though it never reached his eyes.

“May I come in? If that's okay. I can leave if it's not...”

Bodhi stepped back. “No, no, it's fine.” He closed the door and locked it, brows knitting together as he watched Cassian look around, seeming a little lost. “Are you okay?”

Cassian shrugged. He looked as if he had been sleeping in his clothes and Bodhi was pretty sure he had lost weight since he had last seen him. Bodhi slowly stepped closer, biting his lip. Cassian opened his arms and sighed with relief as Bodhi stepped forward with hesitation.

“I'm sorry,” was all he could say.

Bodhi tightened his grip, face buried into his shoulder. He reluctantly pulled away. “You stink.”

Cassian's shoulders shook as he fought not to laugh. “I haven't showered in days.”

“I can tell.” Bodhi held his hand up. “We can talk after. For now, you need a shower and some food. I think I have something that will fit you. Come on.”

He pointed him toward the bathroom and hurried to his room, searching his clean laundry until he found a pair of sweats and a loose t-shirt. He knocked on the door and handed them over once Cassian opened it. “Shower. Get cleaned up. I'll get us food. Okay?”

Cassian nodded. “Thank you.”

Bodhi waited until he heard the water start up to grab his phone.

BR: Cass just turned up. What happened?

J: Did he say anything?

BR: No, but he looked bad

J: Need me to come get him?

BR: Don't think so? Anything I should know?

Jyn was a long time in responding. Bodhi had started heating a frozen pizza and was attempting to cleanup the apartment when his phone buzzed again.

J: Don't let him hurt you. Don't be submissive. Call immediately if you need help. I'll be close by.

Drawing in a deep breath, Bodhi closed his eyes, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. This was going to be an interesting conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bodhi being searched is almost exactly what happened to me at work once when no one believed me that my name tag was setting off the scanner.
> 
> Also, the next chapter is being written and will include more fun time for Bodhi. Maybe then he'll stop being so grumpy.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back. Just a quick note, Cassian gets a little possessive at the start of this chapter. While nothing non consensual happens, if anyone feels that the tags need to be changed, please tell me in the comments and I'll fix it as quickly as possible.

Bodhi was searching for a potholder when he heard the water turn off. The pizza had cooked for a bit longer than he would have liked; the crust was blackened in places but it looked edible at least. If Cassian didn't like it, he'd make him order something else. Bodhi had had time to think while Cassian was in the shower. He had mulled over Jyn's words, wondering what exactly she had meant. He had also had plenty of time for his anger to return. He blew out his breath as he set the pizza aside, turning back to the fridge.

He jumped as hands grabbed his waist, spinning around to find Cassian pressed close against him, eyes blank. “Cass?” he asked. He hadn't heard him approach. When he received no response, he tried to edge past. Cassian caught his wrist, squeezing with enough force make him gasp. Shit, Bodhi thought, trying to remember what he had told to do to break free if he was ever kidnapped. Unfortunately, he hadn't paid attention as a child, finding the lectures from his tutor boring and pointless. The irony was no longer lost on him.

“Cassian. Let me go,” he said, trying to pull his fingers loose. He grunted as Cassian shoved him back into the cabinet; he bounced off it, knocking things piled up on the counter to the floor. He started fighting in earnest then, fear rising as Cassian pinned him in place, hips bracketing his. His hands were secured against the cabinets with enough force that Bodhi was sure he'd have bruises the next day. He squirmed against him as Cassian kissed him roughly.

Nope nope nope. Bodhi brought his foot down as hard as he could, making Cassian jerk back. Pushing as much as he could, Bodhi managed to gain a few inches. “Dude, I swear you need to stop right now or there will be an issue.”

Cassian glared at him, eyes dark. Bodhi refused to back down.

“No. I said to let go and you need to listen to me. I'm serious. Let. Me. Go.”

Breathing hard, Cassian slowly released him and stepped back. His eyes never left Bodhi, tracking his every move like a predator. Cautiously, Bodhi moved away from the cabinets and pointed toward their crappy table. “Go sit down. You and I need to have a very serious conversation and I'm not going to do it while cornered in my own home.” He saw Cassian flinch, hands balled into fists before he sighed and slumped forward.

“I'm sorry. I'll leave,” he mumbled, eyes lowered.

“Shut up and sit your ass down at the table. I expect you to listen to me very carefully. We are going to have a conversation, whether you want it or not. Now, you're going to eat this shitty pizza I dug out of the freezer and you are going to pretend that you like it.”

Cassian, it seemed, was finally going to listen to him.

Sighing in relief, Bodhi turned back to the stove, hands shaking as he cut the food up. He tossed the pan onto the table and grabbed the plates. He moved slowly towards the chair opposite Cassian, biting his lip as he sat down. “That wasn't cool man. Like, I'm all for my partners being forceful, but only after we get to know each other better. And not when I'm mad at them.”

“Are you mad at me?”

Bodhi scowled at him. “Extremely. Where the fuck have you been?”

“That's none of your concern,” Cassian said, picking at his slice.

Bodhi pushed his plate away, arms crossed over his chest. “It is my concern. I've been worried sick. You said you were going to call and then never did. Even Jyn didn't know where you were.”

“I was working.”

“That doesn't mean you get to be a dick and ignore everything!”

“What gives you the right to be mad? It's not like we were even dating.”

Bodhi froze, blood running cold. “You're right. I guess we weren't. And I guess you didn't mean it when you said you wanted to discuss a second date.”

Cassian said nothing, eyes downcast.

“Except.” Bodhi paused, trying to choose his words with care. “Except that you came here and tried to pick a fight. You didn't even tell Jyn that you were safe. She heard it from me. Why is that?”

“I don't know.”

“You don't know? Or you refuse to admit?”

“I don't know!” Cassian slammed his fist down on the table, eyes blazing as he stared Bodhi down. “I don't know why I fucking came here! I don't know what we are or what I want us to be! I just—gah!”

Bodhi slowly resumed eating, watching Cassian press the heels of his hands into his eyes. “I think you do know why, you just don't want to say. And that's okay. It's too early to start getting into feelings and emotions and all that shit. However, the fact that you came here means you want more. Guess my blow job was better than I originally thought.”

Cassian's shoulders shook with silent laughter. He glanced over his hands, eyes losing their anger. “You have a pretty big ego, don't you?”

“Look at my shitty life,” Bodhi said, gesturing around the apartment. “Gotta have something I can call my own.”

Cassian snorted and looked at his half eaten slice. “This food sucks.”

“Yeah, it might have sat in the freezer too long. Should we order something else?”

“I'll pay. It's the least I can do.”

“Damn straight.” Bodhi pulled out his phone. “Want another pizza or Thai food?”

“I picked the last time.”

“Oh no!” Bodhi pointed at him. “This is not going to count as date number two. You owe me something nice for this.”

Cassian nodded, looking ashamed. “I never meant to scare you. I just....”

“Is that normal?” Bodhi asked, scrolling through options. “Is that something I should be aware of?”

“Jyn used to punch me if I ever got like that.”

“Well, I'm not as tough as her, so we need to establish a few ground rules. If I tell you to stop, you stop. Doesn't mean I won't sleep with you, but I do need to make sure you'll listen. Okay?”

“We can discuss a safe word later if you'd like.”

“I don't think we need to go that far,” Bodhi dryly intoned. “I'd like to think I can just say no and have you listen.”

“So I didn't screw everything up?” Cassian asked, voice hopeful.

“That remains to be seen. I really was worried about you.”

“I'm sorry.” Cassian sighed. “I really am. It's just, when I'm working, it's not always safe to contact anyone. I can't risk putting you in danger.”

“I'm an adult,” Bodhi huffed. “I think I can decide what's dangerous for myself.”

“Can you?” Cassian studied him, eyes narrowed. “And what if I told you that I had spent the last few days hiding a body? What do you think of that?”

“I already knew you were dangerous, and maybe I'm stupid, but it doesn't change anything.” Bodhi shrugged. “I'm not going away.”

“You don't understand what you're getting yourself into,” Cassian warned, though it lacked the usual bite. The fight was quickly draining out of him.

Bodhi stared at the bruise standing out on his cheek. “Jyn asked me to work for her. I met Chirrut and Baze, as well as that Kay guy. I understand more than you think.”

Cassian sighed. “I'm sure you do. I've never met anyone like you before.”

Bodhi smiled. “I'll take that as a compliment.” He turned toward the door as the bell rang. “You owe twenty-eight fifty, plus tip. Go pay the man.”

He cleared the table as Cassian answered the door, grabbing drinks and heading for the couch. He patted the cushion next to him, picking up the remote and starting a superhero movie. Cassian set the bag down, smiling as Bodhi handed him a cartoon full of pad see ew and a fork. “I understand,” Bodhi said halfway through the meal, “that if this continues, there will be times when you'll disappear. And I'm okay with that, under one condition. We have some kind of code or some kind of way for you to tell me that you are alright. I just don't want to worry. Okay?”

Cassian nodded. “We'll figure something out.”

Bodhi smiled and bumped his shoulder into him.

Somehow, without realizing it, Bodhi found himself leaning against Cassian, head pillowed on his chest. His eyes drifted shut every time his fingers brushed through his hair, making him snuggle closer with a little whine.

Cassian's laugh was no louder than a breath as he pulled him closer. “You sound like a cat.”

“That feels amazing. Don't stop.”

Cassian hummed and dug his fingers in deeper, gently scraping his nails along his scalp. He leaned down to kiss his head when Bodhi gasped. “Are you my little kitty now? Should I feed you some cream?”

“If that's an innuendo for sex, then yes.” Bodhi reluctantly sat up, ignoring Cassian's smirk. “We should probably discuss a few things before we go any further, though.”

“Like ground rules?”

“Kind of.” Bodhi pulled away enough so he could curl his legs up under him on the couch while he faced Cassian. “Look, I'll level with you. There is very little I won't at least try, okay? So long as you tell me about it beforehand, I'll probably be fine. Just, I need to know, no matter what we do, that if I need you to stop you will. I'm more than fine with you being super possessive, within reason. No getting mad at me if I talk to other guys. I don't cheat, that's not my thing. Unless you say we're non-exclusive, it's just us. Same for you. You can talk to whoever you want, just keep it at that only. As for sex, I've probably done everything at least once, so...ask and you might get lucky. Just no sharing, no blood; nothing extreme.”

“I'll assume that the 'no blood' rule also includes most other bodily fluids,” Cassian said with a laugh.

“Only one fluid allowed, buddy, and only after I know you're clean. I might be a slut, but I'm stupid.”

“You're not a slut, Bodhi. There's nothing wrong with liking sex.”

Bodhi shrugged and picked at a loose thread on his cuff. “Yeah, well, tell that to some people.”

“Hey.” Cassian lifted his chin up, catching his eyes. “Don't ever let anyone shame you, not even yourself. And don't ever call yourself names again. Only I get to do that, if you're in to that kind of thing.”

“I can be. We'll play it by ear.”

Cassian groaned. “You're going to be the death of me.”

Bodhi smiled slyly and crawled into his lap. He straddled him, arms wrapping around his neck. “And you're the reason I'm being corrupted. I was such a good, innocent boy until you came along.”

Cassian set his hands on his waist. “I have a feeling you were never an innocent boy.”

“You might be right about that. Maybe I'll tell you about it sometime. But for now...” He leaned in for a kiss, lips parting to deepen it as Cassian's hands moved toward his ass.

Bodhi didn't know how much time passed as they made out, only that soon the couch began to feel constricting. He whined and pulled away, panting as Cassian's hands wander up the back of his shirt. “Fuck, okay, no, we need to move. Bed. Now!”

“I thought I was supposed to be the bossy one,” Cassian tried to joke, but his wrecked voice and hurried movements betrayed him. “Which one?”

“Left. Across from the bathroom.”

“Convenient.”

“Less talk, more sex.”

Cassian laughed and grabbed him, spinning him around to kiss him. “You forgave me pretty fast.”

“Yeah, well, you're pretty hot, so that works in your favor.”

They stumbled into his room, tripping over a pile of cloths on the floor. Cassian caught them before they could fall. He sat on the edge of the bed, trying to pull Bodhi back into his lap.

“Wait, Cassian. I need—”

“You want to stop now?” Cassian asked, eyebrow raised.

Bodhi rolled his eyes. “No, moron. We need a condom.” He turned toward his dresser, digging through the top drawer. “Um...”

Cassian paused, shirt halfway off. “I don't like that sound.”

“Shit. I think they expired.” He held up the one he had found, nose wrinkled. He turned tentatively toward the bed. “Do you have any on you?”

Cassian gave him a look. “Oh yeah, I always carry condoms while dealing with work situations.”

Bodhi poked a finger at his face. “Now is not the time to be an ass, not if you want into mine.” He had a sudden epiphany. “Luke! He's got to have some! He owes me anyway.”

He raced towards Luke's room, searching his normal hiding places. He growled in frustration, turning up empty handed. That jerk must have taken them with him. He kicked Luke's bed and stomped back to his room. He moaned as he watched Cassian pulling off his sweats. “He doesn't have any either. This sucks!”

Cassian rolled his eyes and stalked towards him. Bodhi felt his knees growing weak. He let Cassian pull him in close. “Well, I have an idea. We can always take a different approach. But first, you need to be wearing less.”

Bodhi stepped back and shed his clothes in record time. He stuck his tongue out when Cassian laughed at him.

“On the bed.”

Bodhi grinned. “Well hello Mr. Bossy.”

“Silence. On your side, facing the desk.”

Bodhi raised an eyebrow but moved to comply. Cassian climbed into the narrow bed, settling against his back. He rolled the condom on and nudged at his leg. “Do you at least have lube?”

Bodhi tossed him the bottle. “I do, but I don't trust that condom not to break, so whatever you're thinking....”

“We're not doing that,” Cassian huffed, his arm sliding over his stomach. “I can prove that I'm clean, but I think for tonight we'll try something different.”

Bodhi groaned as he heard the bottle open. “Dude, I haven't been with anyone in months, so I'm good.”

“Yeah, but your bed sucks. So why don't we just...”

Bodhi gasped as he felt Cassian slip between his legs, lube cold on his thighs. He nodded his head. “Yeah, okay, this is good. Very, very good.”

Cassian kissed the back of his neck, rolling his hips forward. “Good,” he teased, hands brushing across his nipples.

Bodhi reached for his cock. “Cassian!” he yelled as he smacked his hand away.

“Mine,” Cassian growled, thrusting harder. He reached down and wrapped his hand around him, thumb rubbing across his tip. Bodhi's head rolled back, panting as Cassian sped up his movements, driving him towards the edge.

“Cass! I'm going to—oh fuck!” He came as Cassian bit his neck, sobbing as his hand kept up it's relentless motion. He started to shiver, overstimulated as Cassian nosed at his ear, voice strained.

“Can you make it tighter?”

Whining, Bodhi squeezed his legs together, closing his eyes as Cassian's thrusts became erratic, hips slamming into the back of his thighs as he hunched forward. His hands dug into his leg as he came. He rolled his hips forward once more, the lazy motion countered by a sharp nip to the back of his neck. Bodhi rolled to face him, arms wrapping tight around his waist.

Cassian kissed his forehead, hand coming up to brush his cheek. “I have one more suggestion.”

Bodhi buried his face into his neck, incoherent sound rumbling against him.

“Since you obviously liked the last one, how about a shower and then we can snuggle.”

“Don't wanna move.”

Cassian snorted and pushed him toward the edge. “Fine. Then it's an order.”

“I want veto power.”

“No more negotiations tonight. Shower, then cuddles.”

“Ugh.” Bodhi rolled to his feet, eyes tired as he searched for his pants. He could hear Cassian laughing behind him; he ignored him and stumbled toward the bathroom. “Hurry up!”

The shower turned out to be very enjoyable. Cassian kept pressing gentle kisses to his lips and cheeks as the warm water relaxed him farther. Bodhi giggled as he worked shampoo into his hair, making his dark strands stand up on end. Cassian rolled his eyes and dove in for a deeper kiss. Bodhi couldn't keep the smile from his face as Cassian wrapped him in a towel. This was something he could get used to.

After, as they settled back into bed with Cassian closest to the wall, Bodhi rolled over and laid his head on his chest, just above his heart. He closed his eyes and listened to it's steady beat. He drifted towards sleep as Cassian once again began running his fingers through his hair. He wanted to stay in this moment forever. That didn't seem like too much to ask for.

“Sweet dreams Bodhi.”

Please, he thought, just let this last a little longer. He could forget everything else he wished for if he could just keep this peace. That wasn't asking too much, was it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, their first fight. Thank goodness for make up sex. Things are going so well, right?
> 
> (Queue ominous music) Well, get ready in the next chapter for the return of Bodhi's mother! There be more fights ahead, along with angst. Muwahaha!!!


	8. Chapter 8

It had been years since Bodhi had felt so warm and comfortable. He shifted, barely awake, and sighed in pleasure as Cassian pulled him tighter against his chest, nose buried into his hairline. Bodhi wrapped his hand around the one clutching his shirt, drifting back into deeper sleep. It was still too early to let this peace end. He didn't know when he had turned away, but Cassian had obviously followed, wrapping tight around Bodhi to keep him close. He wasn't going to object. It was probably the happiest he had felt in far too long.

Dimly, hours later, he was aware of a door opening and closing nearby. He blinked one eye open, frowning as he tried to focus on his phone screen. Nine o'clock. Groaning, he started to twist away from Cassian; he found his arms pinned to his sides as he was pulled back toward the pillows.

“Cass...come on. We need to get up.”

Cassian growled and threw his leg over Bodhi's hip.

It made him think of an octopus. Or an anaconda. He squirmed, locked tight in a never loosening grip. Bodhi laughed. “Dude, my roommate is home.”

“Don't care.”

“Yeah, well, I hope personal space isn't something you require.”

Cassian hummed a question right as Bodhi's door flew open.

“Hey Bodhi, I was wondering—oh shit!” Luke froze in the doorway, stack of mail in his hands. Bodhi waved as best he could, locked in Cassian's grip. Behind him, Cassian stiffened, head slowly turning to face the blushing man standing in the doorway. Luke gulped and slowly retreated. “Fuck. I am so, so sorry. I'll, ah...I'll be in the kitchen.” He slammed the door behind him.

“Warned you. Thank you for not stabbing my roommate.”

“Is that normal?” Cassian asked, releasing Bodhi as he sat up, brushing at his mussed hair.

“It is. Luke, for as great of a friend as he is, doesn't always understand boundaries. He's also not great at reading subtle cues. He's a bit dense, but I love him anyway. No one else was willing to let me move in last minute.”

Cassian nodded and climbed out of the bed. He frowned as he looked down at his cloths, stained with something unknown. Bodhi didn't want to think about it. He sat up and stretched, nodding toward his closet. “You can wear my stuff. I can drive you home if you want.”

Cassian smiled and leaned in for a kiss. “I'd rather spend the rest of the day curled up with you.”

Bodhi grinned. “If you have condoms at your place that can be arranged.” He laughed as Cassian tackled him, knocking him back onto the bed; his stubble scraped across his neck as he pushed at him. “Stop! Cassian!”

Sitting back, Cassian let him up after he caught his breath. He reached for his hand, smirking as Bodhi wove their fingers together. “Guess I'll hurry and get dressed.”

“Take your time. Luke obviously wanted to talk about something. If you find anything that fits, go for it.” He stood up and reached for the nearest clean shirt and his jeans. “There's some bags in the bathroom cabinet; just toss your clothes in one and we can burn them later.”

“Ha ha.” Cassian's eyes were on him as he left the room, pulling the door shut behind him.

Bodhi walked into the kitchen to find Luke working on omelets. From the amount of fresh vegetables on the counter, he assumed that Leia had sent them another box of food. He'd have to remember to thank her, if she was still speaking to him. She had been silent since running into Jyn. “You wanted something?”

Luke glanced at him, blushing still high on his cheeks. “I know, I know, I should have knocked.”

Bodhi shrugged. “Not the first time that's happened.”

“Please tell me that the guy with the murder face is Hot Guy.”

“One and the same. And he does not have a murder face.”

Luke snorted, reaching for a spatula. “Says you. It wasn't you he was glaring at.”

“Well don't barge in next time.”

“Dude, lock your door.”

“We both know that locks mean nothing to you.” Bodhi frowned, just noticing that R2's bowls were missing. “Hey, where's the cat?”

Luke rolled his eyes. “I took him to Leia's like a week ago. They were doing a walk-through inspection and we're not supposed to have pets here. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. They're going to want to work on the bathroom, so we need to go someplace else for a bit. I just got the notice today. Leia said you can use her couch if you want, but she wanted to discuss something with you first, whatever that meant.”

Bodhi laughed nervously and grabbed a slice of cheese off the counter. “That's nice of her.”

“Unless you plan to stay with Hot Guy,” Luke said, wiggling his eyebrows as he smirked at him.

Bodhi shrugged. “We'll see. When will it be?”

“Starting Monday.” He flipped the first omelet onto a plate. “You guys want some?”

“Thank you, but I should be going,” Cassian said, coming up behind them. Neither of them had heard him come in; Bodhi didn't know how long he had been there or what, if anything, he had overheard.

Luke glanced at him, eyes skimming up and down his body. He nodded in approval. “No problem. I'm Luke by the way.”

“Cassian.” He smiled at Bodhi. “Does the offer of a ride home still stand?”

“Let's go.” Bodhi waved goodbye to Luke and grabbed his jacket. Cassian followed him down to the carport, tossing his dirty clothes into the trunk. He obviously disapproved of the unsecured garage, cars visible from the street through a bent gate. Bodhi rolled his eyes as he reversed from his space. “No comments about my shitty place, please. It's the best I can afford on no savings.”

Cassian kindly stayed silent, settling back in the passenger seat while he looked at his phone.

“So,” Bodhi said, trying to fill the silence. “Do you not like omelets?” Even to him, his words sounded stupid.

Cassian glanced up, a confused frown on his face. “No, I love them. Why did you ask?”

Bodhi shrugged. “Luke was offering breakfast but you wanted to leave. I'm okay either way, as long as I get some coffee soon.”

Cassian reached over to pat his leg. “I just didn't feel like awkward small talk right now. Besides, Jyn's been texting. She wants to meet up. I told her to meet at my place.”

“Ah, yeah, she said she was going to stay close by last night. In case...”

Cassian sighed. “I know. It won't happen again.”

Bodhi hummed, shoulders shrugging. He'd wait and see. He tried his best to ignore Cassian's hand, which was slowly making its way higher up his leg. The drive surprisingly took less time than he expected, even though they were in the height of rush hour. Cassian leaned across him at the gate, smiling as he greeted the guard in Spanish. After showing his ID, he directed Bodhi up the hill toward an area to the left of his building. He pointed out a structure Bodhi had missed before. “Visitor parking. For today, you'll have to park in the spaces outside. But, if this continues, I'll get you a permanent pass to park there.”

Cassian lead them toward a door, pointing out the call box and telling Bodhi the code to enter. Neither of them were surprised when the elevator opened to find Jyn waiting inside. “I told you to wait inside,” Cassian mumbled, pushing her out of the way.

“I am inside. You weren't specific as to where.” She wiggled her fingers at Bodhi in the approximation of a greeting, winking as he tried not to laugh when Cassian closed his eyes. “And you have a lot to go over. Is it done?”

“We'll discuss this later, in private.”

“Bodhi works for us now, I think he's entitled to hear this.”

“Later, Jyn.”

She rolled her eyes and stepped out, marching toward his door. “And you wonder why we didn't work out.”

“No, we didn't work out because I wouldn't stand for your bullshit. We were never right for each other, not in the long run. And I'm not discussing this again.” Cassian unlocked the door, ushering them in before resetting the locks. “Fine, you want to know how it went. It went as we thought. He was leaking information, but gave up his contacts with little effort. Most of what he knew was inconsequential, but I have someone I trust tracing further back. So, yes, it's been take care of.”

Jyn was skeptical. She stood with her arms crossed over her chest, hip cocked as she studied him. “And he won't be causing any more problems?”

“I told you, I took care of it.” Cassian met her eyes without emotion.

“Did you kill him like I told you to?”

Cassian blinked slowly, face remaining neutral. “He's been handled.”

“God dammit Andor! What were you fucking thinking?!”

“He's been turned over to someone I trust,” he said, calm in the face of her anger. Bodhi was reminded of that first night, when Jyn had so ruthlessly threatened him in the alley. How Cassian felt no fear, with her fury directed fully at him, he couldn't understand.

“If this comes back to bite you in the ass, I'm not saving you. Not this time.” Jyn scowled and stomped toward the bathroom tucked behind the stairs. “Just for that, you get to cook this time.”

Cassian shook his head and tossed the bag onto the nearest couch. “Want to help me? When her imperial highness speaks, it's better to just play along.”

“It's a bit like when Luke's sister gets her temper up. Leia scares me almost as much as Jyn.” Cassian started laughing as Bodhi dropped his jacket next to it. Together they went into the kitchen. “What were you thinking of making? Is there even any food here?”

“The kitchen is kept fully stocked, Jyn sees to that. We'll start with coffee, then decide from there.”

“My hero,” Bodhi said, leaning in for kiss. “So, what's the verdict?”

Cassian looked in the fridge, a grin breaking out. “Ever have chilaquiles? Looks like we have eggs and salsa.”

“You a good cook?” Bodhi asked, wrapping his arms around his waist as he peeked over his shoulder.

Cassian's grin only grew. “You challenging me?”

Bodhi snorted and kissed his cheek. “If you impress me enough, I'll make it worth your while.”

“Well, just to warn you, it's been a long time since I cooked regularly, so this might not turn out so well. I'm definitely going to need some help.”

“Going to stay close to me, making sure I don't mess up?” Bodhi asked, coyly snuggling against him. “Teach me the proper way to handle a utensil?”

Whatever response Cassian had intended was interrupted by a gagging sound from the doorway. They turned to find Jyn leaning against the frame, face crinkled. “No roll playing around my food. It's not sanitary.”

“Last I checked, this was my apartment,” Cassian said, eyebrow raised. He gently pushed Bodhi away, who had dissolved into helpless giggles. “You could help, you know.”

“Absolutely not, especially since you skipped our check-in.” She turned and headed for the couch. “I want mine with extra cheese!”

Rolling his eyes, Cassian directed Bodhi on how to start. They worked side by side, Cassian patiently pointing out each step, rewarding Bodhi with quick kisses to the cheek as often as he could. Bodhi was cracking the eggs when he glanced at Cassian. “So,” he said, licking his lip at the sliver of exposed skin along his waist as he reached for the plates, “your last name is Andor. That's interesting.”

“How so?” Cassian asked, feigning for indifference.

“Because that's the name Jyn used with my friend recently. Interesting coincidence.”

Cassian sighed. “So she's using that one again. Yes, that is my last name, Mr. Rook. Does it bother you that she calls herself that?”

Bodhi shook his head. “Not a bit, Mr. Cassian Jeron Andor.”

“Fuck, you really are too observant.”

Bodhi turned with a smirk, wiggling his eyebrows. He heard his phone ringing from the other room, the song he usually reserved for his friends playing.

“Hey Bo!” Jyn appeared in the doorway again. “You want this?”

“What's it say?”

“Just says private number.”

“Can you answer it? Please? It might be about that application I put in.” He turned to wash his hands as she answered the call.

“Hello, you've reached Bodhi's phone. How may I direct your call?” He snorted as she stuck her tongue out at him. She quickly lost her smile, eyes growing concerned as she pulled the phone away from her ear. Loud yelling filled the room.

“Shit!” Bodhi lunged for the phone, yanking it from her hand. “Hello! Mum! Mum—please stop yelling! No...No it's—mum, I'm trying to explain!”

“What is the meaning of this?!” Even pressed against his ear, his mother's voice was loud enough to fill the room, seeming to echo in the narrow space. “Who the bloody hell was that woman? Answer me right away! What have you gotten yourself into?!”

Bodhi was staring at Cassian and Jyn, eyes wide as they watched him floundering. “She..she was—my...she was my girlfriend,” he blurted out, instantly regretting his words. Shit. Fucking hell, what was he thinking? He covered his nose and mouth with his left hand, right gripping his phone hard enough that he feared he might break it.

For a moment, the room was silent. No one moved.

He could hear his mother drawing in a deep breath. He braced himself as she lit into him.

“Your girlfriend?! When were you going to tell me about this? I am your mother! This is absurd! Who is this woman? What does she do? Who is her family?” And on and on it went. Bodhi tried several times to break in, managing each time to get partial phrases in before she cut him off.

“Mum! Mother, it's—I wanted to tell you but—She's, she's—It's not a big deal!”

He closed his eyes in defeat as she started screaming even louder. He could feel his temper rising, pulse throbbing as he clenched his fists. Jyn was watching the horror show that he called a life with awe and amusement; pulling the phone away from his ear, he wordlessly screamed and shook his fist. He jumped as Cassian reached over and plucked the phone from his hand.

“Hello, is this Mrs. Rook?” he asked, voice pleasant and light. His accent had gone smooth; like Jyn, it appeared that he had the ability to alter his speech pattern depending on the situation. Bodhi watched as he listened for a moment, gentle smile on his face. “This is Joreth Sward. I'm your son's—” he hesitated as Bodhi frantically drew a line across his throat before waving his hands. “His...boss.” He nodded as Bodhi visibly slumped against the counter, knees shaking. “Yes, I'm so sorry about that, but you see Bodhi and I were in a very important meeting and,” he glanced at Jyn who held up four fingers, “Dawn was holding onto his phone. She thought the call might be important, so she answered it. Yes, I'm well aware they are dating, though I do believe that is a more recent thing,” he said with a smirk, watching Bodhi sink to the floor with his head between his legs. “Dawn is a very nice girl...no, I don't have a problem with them dating, we are a small but professional office. How long has Bodhi been working for me?” Bodhi glanced up as Cassian frowned. “Not too long, but I assure you that he has been invaluable to us. Yes, that is why he's not coming home for the holidays.” Bodhi closed his eyes again, refusing acknowledge Cassian's look. “I'm sure you understand how it is, starting a new job and all. I'll let you get back to your son now. Yes, goodbye.”

Bodhi held his hand out as he felt Cassian poke his head with his phone. “Hello mother. No, no, I didn't lie to you. I said I was busy and unable to come home. Okay, maybe I should have told you that I was no longer working there, but I'm a grown adult and can make decisions for myself. Okay? And yes, I should have told you about...'Dawn', but now is not the time to talk about this! No, no I'm not shouting. Yes—yes, okay. Okay. So—so can we discuss this some other time, please? I need to get back to...work. Okay...okay,yes—yes, that's fine, I'll talk to you later.”

He hung up and set down his phone. “Oh. My. GOD! What the hell was I thinking?!”

Jyn started to laugh. “You didn't think that through, did you? Why didn't you just tell her I was a secretary or something?”

“Because I panicked! And you are the least secretary-like person I know so why would I even think to say something like that!” Bodhi covered his face with his hands. “Fucking hell. And now she wants to have lunch when she comes down after the holidays and 'meet Dawn'. I am in so much trouble.” Bodhi jerked as Jyn sat beside him, arm draped over his shoulders.

“No you aren't. Just tell her we broke up.”

Bodhi shook his head, turning to meet her eyes. “I can't. That will just cause more problems. I now have to show up with a girlfriend or else.”

“Well then, that's fine, because Dawn is going to join you for lunch. I happen to play the fake girlfriend quite well. We can work something out later. In the meantime,” she said, pointing toward Cassian, “I think this calls for brunch.”

He sighed. “I'll start more food.”

“I'll start the drinks,” she said, ruffling Bodhi's hair. “You'd better make pancakes.” She leaned in close to whisper in his ear, “Cass makes the best pancakes you'll ever taste.”

Cassian was reaching for a bowl. “What kind? Strawberry? Pumpkin?”

“Chocolate chip.”

Bodhi shakily climbed to his feet and went to help. Between the three of them, it didn't take long to finish the food, though Cassian finally had to order Jyn away from the bar in the dining room. They again settled at the table in the nook, nearly overloading it with plates. It took Bodhi a long time to calm down, but as he did he had to admit that it was one of the best meals he had had in awhile. The chilaquiles were delicious, especially with the fried egg on top, and Jyn clearly hadn't been lying about the pancakes; they were some of the fluffiest he had ever seen. Even the bacon was perfect. Jyn kept refilling his glass with more mimosas as he gradually relaxed, listening to the two of them discussing some inane TV show that he never watched. He smiled as Cassian took his hand towards the end.

Jyn, of course, noticed right away. “So, Mr. Rook.” She leaned casually forward, elbows resting on the table. “Any reason why you so obviously didn't want your mother to know that you and Cassian are a thing?”

“Jyn,” Cassian warned, sounding tired.

Bodhi squeezed his hand. “It's alright. It's just that, I'm not exactly out to my family. To be honest, I'm not sure I'll ever tell them. I'm pretty much the black sheep of the family. You heard my mum. And that was with her thinking I was dating a woman. Image what she'd sound like if she knew the truth.”

“They seem a bit homophobic.”

Bodhi shook his head. “Not really. They're actually pretty accepting, most of the time anyway. It's more that my mother is a bit...old fashion. She had expectations for each of us, and clearly I'm the disappointment. I've lived up to none of her standards. You think she would have realized after I was expelled from a very expensive and very exclusive boarding school that she should just give up.”

Jyn's eyes widen, face lighting up. “You were expelled?!”

“Twice.” He gulped what was left of his coffee. “My father had to pay an outrageous amount of money to keep me in the first time. He gave up after the second. And before you ask, one of those times was for running an illegal gambling ring out of the dorms.”

“And the other?”

“Got caught blowing a teacher in the lounge.” He wiggled his eyebrows at Cassian as Jyn cracked up. “Told you I was good.”

“I'm not denying that.” He was clearly amused; he nudged Bodhi's knee with his own. “And now, you and Jyn can discuss what you plan on doing later. Now that we have all been fed, I think it would be best if she left so we could get on with the rest of our day.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. I'll leave. It's not like I've never heard you having sex before. Just be glad that I have something more important that I needed to do today.”

Bodhi blushed slightly as she stood up and headed for the door. “You, uh, you don't have to help me with my family. I'll think of something later.”

“Nonsense. I'm intrigued now. This is going to be fun. I'll text you later, maybe we can have lunch or something. Cassian can pay for it.”

“Good bye, Jyn,” Cassian said, gathering up the plates.

She winked and waved as she closed the door behind her.

After locking the door, Bodhi hurried back to help Cassian. He frowned as Cassian roughly pushed him away. “What was that for? Are you suddenly mad at me?”

Cassian glanced at him, dark eyes hard to read. “Why would I be mad?”

“Because I told my mum Jyn was my girlfriend. Because I didn't want her to know about us. Because I'm a screw up.”

Cassian sighed and reached for Bodhi, pulling him in by his hips. “First of all, you are not a screw up. You are a very intelligent person and if anyone can't recognize that, then they are clearly the problem. Second, I think having Jyn pose as your girlfriend for your family is actually a great idea. She's a good actress and having a front might come in handy. As long as she'd okay with it, that is.”

“I think she's enjoying the idea. Jyn doesn't strike me as someone that can be bullied into doing something she doesn't want to do,” Bodhi dryly stated.

Cassian laughed, hands tracing along his sides. “She does like mischief.”

“So, then, why the cold attitude?” Bodhi asked, leaning into his touch. He bit at his lip, eyes fluttering as Cassian squeezed gently.

“Because I have other plans for you and they don't include the dishes.”

“Fuck yes,” Bodhi groaned, lunging forward for a kiss.

Cassian pushed him back with a laugh. “Go take a shower. Get ready. Anything you might need will be in the cabinet. I'll do these quickly, start the dishwasher. Take your time, but I expect you to be waiting in my bed when I'm done.”

Bodhi whined, wiggling in place. “Fuck. You do this often, bring people home and order them around?”

“You are actually the first person other than Jyn to ever be invited here. Same with the food. I rarely cook for others.” Cassian kissed his forehead before pushing him toward the door. “Now go. I won't tell you again.”

“What if I don't comply?” Bodhi asked, licking his lip.

“Well, any other time I would punish you, but considering we haven't even had date number two yet, I guess I'll just have to put that on hold.”

“And what if we say that this was a second date?” Bodhi whispered.

“Then I'd ask just how much of a good boy you wanted to be.”

Bodhi turned and hurried towards the stairs. He heard Cassian laughing as he rushed up them and toward his room. Once he was safely tucked away in the bathroom, he brushed the hair from his eyes. He knew he was rushing into things but he didn't care. He both needed and wanted this. Even his inner voice was barely putting up a struggle. He jumped as his phone buzzed.

HG: cabinet to the left of the sink, third shelf should have everything you need

HG: extra towels are to the right

HG: don't bother dressing again

Bodhi couldn't keep the grin from his face. So far, aside from the call from his mother, this was turning into an awesome second date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Cassian. You really need to learn to communicate better. Although the murder glare seems pretty effective (or so my coworkers told me when I used to use it on problem customers). Also, Bodhi, you need to start thinking before speaking. Just saying.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look, new chapter! (Throws smut and runs away)

The towels were exactly where Cassian said they would be. Being nosy, he dug through the drawers as well, finding little except for a few old makeup cases and hair care products that had long been forgotten. While everything in the condo so far had been clean and organized, Cassian clearly only saw it as a place to stop and rest; there was nothing that truly felt like a home in it. Bodhi shook off the lonely feelings that brought up, pushing back the memories of growing up with nannies and dorm rooms and not being allowed to show a personality. Now was not the time to think about things like that. He had better things to imagine. Much, much better things.

He tried to be quick in the shower, he really did. He went through the motions, trying to push back the scenarios that ran through his head, telling himself that he was about to live them. He bit his lip, wondering just how far he should prep himself; Cassian, for all that they had done thus far, was still an unknown factor. He had proven that he could be rough, but just how far was he going to take it?

Sighing, Bodhi told his brain to knock it off. Everything would be fine. Better than fine, if his imagination proved correct. He grabbed the body wash sitting on the ledge. This was one of the scents he most associated with Cassian, the one that made him want to cling to him and never let go. God, he seriously need this.

As he toweled off, he glanced at his reflection in the mirror. His hair was starting to grow out again. He'd have to think about cutting it. He pulled it back, snorting as he was able to create a small ponytail, barely more than a tuft. Maybe he'd leave it, just to annoy his mother.

He opened the door to find the room still empty. Cassian clearly was giving him plenty of time to get ready. Bodhi huffed and flopped onto the bed. He was more than ready now and started to pick up his phone to tell Cassian that when he had a thought. Cassian had asked just how good of a boy was he willing to be? Bodhi considered the question, eyeing Cassian's closet. How far was he willing to push this?

Just how brave was he feeling? He hurried to the door, cracking it open enough to hear Cassian moving around downstairs, talking to someone. He listened for a bit; clearly a phone call. Plenty of time, he decided. Time to have some fun.

* * *

By the time Cassian had finally come upstairs, Bodhi had rearranged the bed, pulling back the comforter and blankets and adding more pillows that he had found tucked away. He had settled back against the dark sheets, head propped up with an arm dramatically thrown over his hair. He kept his eyes closed as he heard Cassian pause in the doorway before closing the door and locking it. He fought to keep the smile from his face as Cassian slowly approached the bed.

“I thought I told you not to get dressed.”

Bodhi opened his eyes, pleased to see that he looked more amused than angry. This could have gone more than one way and Bodhi had taken a chance that this technically wouldn't be breaking the rules of the request. He stretched slowly, showing off his bare torso. “I didn't get dressed. Technically, I'm wearing nothing. You didn't say anything about covering up though and it was a little chilly. And since I was left all alone....”

He grinned as Cassian struggled not to laugh as he sat on the edge of the bed, hand coming up to pull on the spare sheet Bodhi had wrapped around his waist.

“I see that someone went through my closet.”

“I did.” Bodhi's grin flagged a little as he tried and failed to read Cassian's voice. “I thought about putting on your clothes, but...”

“You wanted to be a good boy, didn't you?” Cassian asked softly, slowly pulling the sheet away. As Bodhi nodded, he leaned in for a kiss. “I'll allow it, this time. I didn't specify that you couldn't cover up. And you were very, very good not to put anything on underneath, so...”

Bodhi moaned as Cassian pulled him upright, deepening the kiss. He caught his cheek, shivering as the the sheet was pulled off and tossed aside. There was no hiding just how eager he was for this.

Cassian released him, eyes dark. “You used my body wash.”

Bodhi gulped. “Was that okay?”

“You smell like you belong to me. Like you are mine and mine alone.”

Oh fucking shit. Bodhi's eyes widened as Cassian stood up and striped off his clothes. He shifted toward the center of the bed as Cassian climbed on, pushing him down before covering his body.

“Oh, what should I do with you?” Cassian asked, voice low and sultry. He braced his arms on either side of Bodhi's head, pinning him down with just his legs and pelvis. “So many choices. I could tie you up, keep you from touching yourself as I make you fall apart. Would you like that?”

“Yes.” Bodhi could barely breathe out the word, heart racing as Cassian pressed himself closer.

“Yes, I can see you would. My perfect Bodhi. I could make you turn over, go on your hands and knees for me. I could leave you on the very edge until you are begging me to let you come. You'd let me do anything I want, wouldn't you?” Cassian gave him a feral smile when he frantically nodded. “Let me mark you so that everyone would know who you belong to. My perfect, good boy.”

Bodhi closed his eyes. He felt as if every cell in his body was vibrating. He whined as Cassian moved off of him, one hand gently stroking his hip. “Shh,” he heard, along with a drawer opening. “Just let me get ready.” He gasped as he felt something cold brush against his balls before trailing down. His eyes flew open as he grabbed Cassian's arm.

“Just relax,” Cassian said, stealing a quick kiss before pulling away to slid down the bed, body between Bodhi's legs. He smirked up at him before taking his cock into his mouth, tongue tracing along the underside as he bobbed his head once, twice. Bodhi nearly forgot to breath as he felt this finger return, lube now warmed up, and start circling his hole. Cassian wasted no time, slipping his finger in and slowly sliding it forward as his mouth sped up.

“Cass!” Bodhi whined as he felt him crook his finger before pulling it back to slid a second one in. He wanted to sob as Cassian started working them in and out, twisting and spreading them as his pace increased. Bodhi reached for his hair as he felt a third finger nudge against him. “No!” he cried as Cassian pulled back.

“No hands,” he reprimanded, glaring at him without slowing his fingers.

“Please—need to touch you—please, don't stop!” He felt as if he was losing his mind.

Cassian took pity on him, gently brushing the fingers of his other hand over his thigh. “Shh, just a bit longer. You can touch me once I think you're ready, not before.”

“Fuck, please, I'm ready—fuck!” He nearly jumped off the bed, legs jerking as Cassian pinched his thigh hard enough to leave a mark. Bodhi was shaking as Cassian glared at him, fingers stilling.

“You don't get to decide that. That is for me to determine.”

“Cassian, please. I'm not made of glass. Just fuck me already!”

He sighed and bent his head to kiss where he had pinched. “I thought you were going to be good?”

“I'm seriously about to come right now, so unless that's your goal, please get a move on! Do you have any idea how long it's been since the last time I did this?”

Cassian started laughing, face pressed into his stomach. He pulled his fingers free and crawled up his body. “You are seriously a brat. Next time, I'm punishing you for that.”

“Next time I'll encourage it. Now get in me or you're going to see just how big of a brat I can be,” Bodhi threatened.

Cassian hummed and reached for a condom. “Fine. But this is the last time I'll allow you to be this bossy in bed.” He grabbed more lube and reached down to guide himself in; he kept his movements slow, thrusts shallow as he carefully sank in an inch at a time.

Bodhi groaned, head rolling back. He closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around Cassian's shoulders as he bottomed out, hips snug against his ass. He opened his mouth as Cassian kissed him, tongue tracing against his as he started to move. Bodhi hitched his legs up, ankles hooking over his hips as he sped up; his movements were coming fast now, faster than Bodhi was expecting but fuck, did it feel amazing. Cassian caught his hands as he reached for his cock, pinning them above his head as he shoved him forward. Bodhi's eyes opened, gasping uncontrollably as Cassian set a punishing pace, hips snapping forward as he pressed their foreheads together. Bodhi tried to move with him, rolling his hips as best he could as he felt the pressure building. Shit, was he really going to come untouched? That had only happened once before. He cried out as Cassian nipped at his ear, working his teeth slowly down toward his neck.

It was the bite to the side of his jaw that pushed him over the edge, along with the whispered words of how good he was being. Bodhi sobbed as he came, body tensing around Cassian and pushing him to completion as well. “Cass...” he mumbled weakly as Cassian continued to thrust forward lazily, teeth scraping his clavicle as he came down from the high. He was bordering on over sensitivity before Cassian stilled his movements, slumping against him.

“So perfect,” he mumbled, head pressed against his chest. Bodhi whined as he pulled free, hand holding tight to the condom before he removed it. Tying it off, he tossed it into the trashcan by the bed before sitting beside his hip.

Bodhi struggled to control his breathing. His eyes roamed across Cassian's face, sweat making his hair cling to his forehead. Bodhi shivered as the cool air hit him. He reached a shaky hand toward Cassian, who laughed softly before leaning over to kiss him. “My perfect, good Bodhi. Do you have any idea what you do to me?”

“I think I might,” he mumbled, eyes drifting shut.

He heard Cassian laugh again as he stood up. He wanted to call to him, make him come back, but he was so tired that he could only whine pathetically. He jumped slightly as he felt a cloth wipe over his face and chest, eyes blinking open to find Cassian cleaning him up. That, too, was something new. A lover that cared enough to check up on him was a foreign concept, one that he hadn't experienced since early on in college. He smiled, eyes fighting to stay open. “You're pretty gentle, you know that?”

“Even for a killer?” Cassian asked, curious.

“Especially for a killer. I like that. I like you.”

“Do you now?” Cassian was amused.

Bodhi nodded his head and curled onto his side. “Yeah. You're pretty great. You'd be better if you came and snuggled me, though. I like snuggling. I like how you hold me.”

“You're pretty honest after you come.”

“Sorry,” Bodhi whispered, yawning. He closed his eyes, slowly losing his battle to stay awake.

He felt Cassian brushing at his hair, fingers tracing patterns in a way that he was beginning to crave. “You always fall asleep this quickly after sex?”

“Only if it's really good.”

Cassian hummed. Bodhi dozed off, waking momentarily when he felt Cassian settle in against him. He sighed as the covers were pulled over them, shifting until he could press against Cassian chest. He thought he felt a gentle kiss press against his forehead, but he must have imagined that. No one cared that much for him. Especially not someone he barely knew.

* * *

Bodhi woke up around sunset. He could see the sky beyond Cassian through the window, streaks of red and orange fighting to create a fiery show. He sighed and buried his head into the pillow. “I don't want to get up.”

Cassian laughed, setting his phone aside. “We could always go for round two,” he suggested.

“Dude, I would seriously love to, but I think that's going to have to wait. That was a pretty intense way to end a dry spell. Besides, I should probably go try and make some money tonight. See if I can get a bit ahead for the holidays.” He reluctantly sat up, relishing the sore muscles that pulled as he moved.

Cassian grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down. “What if I paid you to stay in? To not go out there and share yourself with the world?”

“Dude, you offering to be my sugar daddy? 'Cause part of me loves that idea.”

Cassian laughed and pulled him close for a kiss. “How much would it take?”

“Less than you think. But, as tempting as that offer is, I do need to go. I'm sure that by now Luke has told everyone that we left together and I'm going to need to head off too many rumors if I need to ask Leia to let me stay with her for a few days.”

“You could just stay here,” Cassian offered.

Bodhi kissed his chest and sat up again. “That probably wouldn't be a great idea. We still barely know each other. This,” he gestured toward the bed, “this was phenomenal. I really want a repeat, but I've also been burned before. I don't want to rush this anymore than I already have. Unless you want to keep this as booty calls only, I want us to get to know each other, maybe go out someplace. I mean, I'm definitely okay with sex only—”

“If you want more, I'm not against a relationship. It's just not going to be as easy as you think.”

Bodhi smiled. “Then let's plan date number three this week and see where we can go. Sound good?”

Cassian sighed and rolled out of bed. “I still think more sex right now sounds better, but you win. Just don't go driving anyone tonight.” He stepped into the closet and started gathering clothes.

“Is that an order?” Bodhi teased.

“It can be. Does it need to be one?” Cassian returned and handed him a set of clothes.

“I do have to make money somehow,” he told him, pulling things on.

Cassian crossed his arms over his chest, before turning away and grabbing a pair of pajama pants. “I thought Jyn hired you?”

“No offense, but a hundred per delivery is not going to cut it.”

Cassian shook his head. “That's only the bonus. You'll actually receive a salary. I'll see to it.”

Bodhi stepped forward, resting his hands on his hips. “Cass. I don't need you to pay me. I can take care of myself. I'll be fine. Why don't you want me to go out tonight? What's the real reason?”

Cassian's face was blank as he brushed the back of his fingers down his cheek. “There are some people out moving around tonight that I don't want you to come into contact with. Tomorrow, unless you hear from either me or Jyn, you can go do whatever you want. Just, for tonight, go home and rest. Okay?”

Bodhi studied his face, trying to read what he wasn't fully saying. “Okay,” he whispered. “I'll go straight home. But I will need to go out soon. You're not going to be allowed to order me not to live my life. I might like you ordering me around, but I draw the line at you being a controlling psychopath.”

Cassian smiled and kissed him. “I wouldn't expect anything less from you. I'm beginning to think what truly makes you Bodhi is your stubborn streak.”

“Damn straight. Now where'd I leave my phone?”

He finally found it under the bed, dusting it off as he followed Cassian down the stairs. “Thank you for the clothes. I'll bring them back soon.”

“I should make you always wear my stuff,” Cassian said, eyeing the bruises peeking out above the collar of the dark shirt.

Bodhi blushed. “So that everyone knows I'm yours?” he asked, pretending to be innocent.

Cassian hummed and leaned in to whisper in his ear, “you smell like me in more ways than one.”

Bodhi's blush grew. A shower probably would have been a good idea, but he had wanted to be reminded of Cassian for as long as possible.

Cassian smirked and grabbed Bodhi's phone from his pocket. He unlocked it and started typing something in.

“I'd ask how you knew the lock code, but that would just be silly,” Bodhi sighed.

Cassian shrugged. “Jyn has no boundaries. Deal with it.” He handed it back. “I put Kay's personal number in it. Don't go through security next time you deliver to him. Just call or text when you are on your way. Don't let too many there see you. Okay?”

“Yes sir.” Bodhi smiled as Cassian's eyes darkened. “Well well well. Looks like someone has a kink of their own.”

“Text me when you get home. And I'll know if you're lying,” Cassian warned, finger pointing at Bodhi's face.

“Of course. Goodbye Cassian. Thank you for an amazing date number two. Call me this weekend so we can set up the next one.”

“How does Sunday sound? I'll call tomorrow?”

Bodhi pulled him in for a kiss. “I would love that. See you soon.”

He felt Cassian's eyes on his ass as he walked toward the elevator. He made sure to exaggerate his movements, fighting not to laugh as he heard him start swearing in Spanish. Things were definitely starting to look interesting. He leaned against the wall as the door closed, sighing in pleasure. Date number three couldn't come soon enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This. I restarted this chapter three times. Bodhi was very exacting in what he wanted and this is as close as it's getting for now. He's going to have to put up with plot next before he gets his way again.


	10. Chapter 10

Bodhi jumped as he opened the door to find Luke waiting for him. “Fucking hell!” he yelled, clutching his chest. “Dude! Don't ever scare me like that again.”

Luke tugged him inside, eyes bright and eager. He started grinning as he caught sight of the bruises on his neck. “I take it the sex was good?”

Bodhi blushed and rolled his eyes, trying and failing to keep the smile from his face. “I'm telling you nothing, you are entirely too nosy and I'm sick of my privacy being invaded.”

“No you're not. Besides, you love me.”

“I tolerate you. And why aren't you at Wedge's tonight? Or is he coming here?”

“He had to work,” Luke said, face twisting as he pouted. He flopped onto the couch, patting the cushion next to him in invitation. “He got called in to replace someone who's out sick. And he was already filling in for someone else this weekend, so now I won't get to see him until Sunday night at the earliest.” Luke threw his arm over his shoulder. “But enough about me, tell me everything! Is he as good as he looks?”

“Better. And that's all I'm telling you.”

Luke cheered and hugged him. “Dude! About damn time! We should throw a party.”

Bodhi shoved him away, scowling. “I take it back, I actually hate you. You are the biggest jerk on the planet, Skywalker!”

Luke rolled away laughing. “A congrats on getting laid party!”

Bodhi rolled his eyes and slumped back.

Luke struggled to control himself, hand covering his mouth as he tried not to giggle. “Planning on going out again tonight?”

“No. Thought I'd take it easy,” Bodhi said, remembering Cassian's order. “Not really up to dealing with drunks tonight.”

Luke wiggled his eyebrows suggestively but kindly refrained from commenting. He stood up and grabbed his phone. “How about I go get us food and drinks and then when I get back, you can give me all the juicy details. What do you feel like?”

“There's that Mexican place a few blocks over. They're usually pretty good.”

“What, didn't get your fill of Mexican earlier?”

Bodhi threw a pillow at Luke's head, huffing as he ducked before racing out the door, laughing hysterically. He leaned back, rubbing his eyes. Pulling out his phone, he smiled as he typed a message to Cassian.

BR: I was a good boy and came straight home. Do I get a reward later?

HG: I think that can be arranged. What would you like?

Bodhi shivered, a flush spreading across his face.

BR: Surprise me

HG: Brat

HG: Hey, send me a picture of yourself

BR: Dude, my roommate will be back any minute. Besides, I'm not that kind of person.

He giggled as he read the response.

HG: You just lost your reward. I meant a real pic, not a nude. Though I won't say no to one of those as well. I need a photo for your gate pass.

A warm feeling washed over him. He brushed at his hair and tugged at the collar of his borrowed shirt before taking the picture and sending it on.

BR: Good?

HG: Gorgeous

Bodhi hastily tucked his phone away, hoping his blush would go unnoticed as Luke stumbled in.

“So, I got food, beer and tequila, and lots of desserts.” He dropped the bags on the coffee table, pulling a carton of ice cream out. “I also got this since you ate all the others. Hey, have you talked to Leia yet?”

Bodhi sighed and started pulling out the food. “No. I'll call her tonight.”

“Don't bother. She wants to know if we want to meet up tomorrow for coffee. Her treat.”

“I don't have a choice, do I?” Bodhi asked.

“Not really. It seemed more like a formality that she even bother to ask. I'm pretty sure she just wants to yell at both of us.”

Bodhi rolled his eyes. “Fine. I'll put up with it for a free meal.”

Luke nudged him over. He grabbed the remote. “Anything in particular?”

“You pick.”

Luke opened his box, taking a quick bite of his enchilada as he flipped through the channels. He stopped for a moment on a news program, face darkening as he watched a clip for a movie coming out around Christmas. He growled in frustration and changed the channel.

Bodhi frowned at him. “I thought you'd be looking forward to that one.”

Luke shook his head, settling on an old sitcom rerun. “Fuck no. I've seen the script for that, they completely ignored the source material.”

“Dude, isn't that all movies these days?”

Luke stabbed at his food, face dark. “This is worse. The producers and the director said they wanted to make an 'authentic' story about the Lords of the Sith gang, and then they completely fabricated everything! They didn't even get half the names right, or the order of the ranks. They reduced Lady Shaa to nothing more than a temporary love interest to someone that never even worked with her! She died well before they even joined up. And don't get me started on how they portray Vader.”

Bodhi shrugged and reached for his drink. “You don't have to take it so personally.”

“I kind of do,” Luke muttered, lips turned down.

Bodhi sensed him drifting toward one of his dark moods and decided to change the subject. “So, want to know about my date?”

Luke perked up, eyes bright as he turned to him. “Yes! Tell me everything!”

“Go grab the desserts and I'll tell you some of it.”

“No!” Luke whined. “Tell me all of it!”

“That will depend on how much chocolate and booze you can feed me.”

“Let me grab the big glasses and we can get started.”

Bodhi giggled and pushed his hair back. At least Luke was easy to distract. He thought about what he could actually tell him. While Luke might be thrilled to learn that his almost boyfriend was part of a mob, Bodhi also wasn't quite ready for the concern that would also follow.

Luke dropped back onto the couch, legs crossed on the cushion as he faced him. He poured the tequila into some water glasses and shoved on into his hand. “Here, booze. Now speak!”

Bodhi rolled his eyes. “So,” he began, “his name is Cassian....”

* * *

Bodhi woke up on the couch. He couldn't remember falling asleep. He groaned as the headache hit him. “Dude, did we finish the entire bottle?”

From his place on the floor, curled up around the empty container, Luke sighed. “Yup.”

“And when do we meet Leia?”

Luke slowly opened his eyes and frowned at his watch. “Half an hour.”

“We are so screwed.”

“At least if we're both sick she'll keep her yelling to a minimum.” Luke staggered to his feet. “You get the aspirin, I'll get us a ride.”

Bodhi sighed and stumbled toward the bathroom. He stared at the blinking light on his phone. He had missed several texts from Cassian at some point in the night.

HG: What's your full name and ID number?

HG: Nevermind. Jyn had it all.

HG: Call me tomorrow so we can meet up on Sunday

BR: (photo image)

HG: I take it drunk Bodhi is in charge right now? Just remember, I don't share.

“Fuck.” Bodhi rubbed his temple, studying the pic he had sent. He was staring into the camera with a grin as Luke kissed his cheek. Both of them were flushed bright red, Luke holding up a glass as he took the selfie. He typed quickly.

BR: Shit. Sorry. Luke wanted to know about you last night and we were drinking. I swear nothing happened.

He found the bottle and hurried to his room to change his clothes. He blushed slightly as his phone buzzed.

HG: I trust you. After all, you're my good boy.

Oh boy. He just might be getting in farther over his head than he expected and he was beginning to enjoy it.

Luke was waiting by the door with two bottles of water. He grabbed the pills, shaking some into his fist without looking. “Car should be here soon. Why'd you change? I can't see most of the marks Hot Guy left now.”

“That was the point,” Bodhi muttered as he pushed him out the door.

Luke grumbled but stayed quiet as they hurried downstairs. He made small talk with the driver as they drove, talking about some sporting event that Bodhi tuned out. He was starting to grow nervous as they reached the shop Leia had picked out, though he tried to tell himself that it would be fine. Leia had obviously mentioned nothing of Jyn to their friends yet; whatever her motivation was, she had yet to reveal it.

Leia was waiting for them at a table near a window. She waved them over, a predatory smile in place. “You two are late.”

Luke shrugged, unfazed by his sister's attitude. “Our ride took longer than expected.”

Her smile faded. “And you didn't drive why?”

“We had a celebration last night. Bodhi got laid.”

Leia turned to lock eyes with him. She slow blinked, making Bodhi squirm in his seat. “Did he now? Luke, why don't you go get the coffee? I'll have my usual, just give them my name.”

Luke rolled his eyes. “Fine but I'll need money first. Bodhi, want a mocha or something?”

“Sure,” he mumbled as Leia handed over her wallet. He sighed as Luke walked away. “If you're going to call me an idiot, just hurry up and get it over with.”

“I'm not your mother,” she said, voice cold. “I'm not in charge of your decisions. Is it still this Cassian guy?”

“Yes and you know it.”

“What's his last name?”

“It's Andor.”

She glared at him. “Like the name 'Jyn' was using? His 'sister'?”

Bodhi stared her down, refusing to answer.

“You know what? I don't really care. Just don't get my brother involved in whatever little games you're playing, okay? Luke isn't very observant when it comes to danger.”

“I'd never let anything happen to him, not if I can help it. Now, what did you want to talk to me about?”

Leia leaned forward. “I know they're going to be working on your apartment this week. You can stay with me, on one condition.”

“Which is?” He couldn't help but to be wary.

“You have to come to my families Thanksgiving dinner.”

He blinked. “Seriously? Is that all?”

She waved her hand around, rolling her eyes toward the ceiling. “It's not as simple as that. Mom loves you and doesn't want you to be alone. She wants to have a big party and I don't want it to just be family. That would make it harder for us.” She sighed as he gave her a questioning look. “You know our father was in prison, right?”

Bodhi nodded. “Luke mentioned it, but he's never told me much about it.”

“Yeah, well, it's not something we talk about much. He's out this year, under house arrest, and mom wants us to be there. Otherwise I'd be at my aunt and uncle's house. Same with Luke. He'd probably go with Wedge to his families if Beru and Owen were busy. Mom invited them all over, but most of our extended family doesn't approve of dad. Mom wants the house to be full of laughter this year. It's very important to her. She gave up a lot for dad and I just want to see her smile again. So, in order to keep things from being too quiet, or too confrontational, I want you to come. You can stay with me during the week if you do. And,” she said, pointing a finger at him, “I want you to bring Cassian and Jyn along. Mom insists.”

“Why?” he asked, suddenly suspicious.

“Because I want a chance to meet him and since my mom knows about Jyn's past, she won't be able to pull anything while she's there.” She laughed at his expression. “Oh relax, mom also invited Han and Lando and anyone they want to bring along. She's asked us to invite anyone that doesn't have a place to go to. So, will you say yes?”

Bodhi glanced toward where Luke was flirting with the barista. “And if Jyn and Cassian don't want to come?”

“I still want you to be there. I think you need to spend more time with people that actually consider you family.”

He ducked his head. “I'll ask them and let you know. Thank you.”

“Bodhi.” She reached for his hand. “You've been family for a while. Just, come stay with me this week, and we can talk about that job mom has for you. One rule, though. Neither of them are allowed in my house. Got it?”

Bodhi grinned and nodded. “I'll keep my meet-ups to Cassian's place only.”

She snorted as Luke walked up. “Okay,” he said, handing her back her wallet. “I ordered some food as well. Shouldn't take long.”

“Good. Luke, mom wants you there early on Thursday. She wants your help with something.”

Luke groaned. “No! Why can't you help her? I don't want to have to spend any more time there than necessary.”

“Grow up already. You and dad need to get past whatever little issues you have.”

“I don't have 'issues' with dad. He has issues with me. He never wanted me around.”

“He didn't want either of us around before he went to prison. He did that so that we wouldn't get caught up in the drama. However,” Leia said, glaring at her brother, “you act enough like a drama queen that it apparently didn't make a difference.”

“Oh thank god,” Bodhi muttered as their food arrived. He hated being caught in between the twins when they started fighting. “Look,” he said, holding a hand up. “Look, if you two are going to fight, then I'm leaving.”

“We wouldn't be fighting if Luke would just admit he's wrong,” Leia said, leaning back in her seat. “If it'll make you feel better, Luke, Bodhi said he'll come on Thursday. And Wedge said he'd try and come by later that night. Besides, I thought you liked spending time with mom?”

Luke picked his pastry apart, eyes downcast. “I do, but she's going to want me to talk to dad more and you know how much he hates my thesis project. He thinks it's pointless and worthless.”

“He doesn't think it's worthless. He just worries about you.”

“He never cared about me before.”

Leia reached for his hand. “I know this isn't something you want to do, but it's important to mom. If it helps, Bodhi and I will get there early so you won't be there alone, okay?”

Luke looked at Bodhi, eyes bright. “You're coming?”

“Guess I am,” he said. He smiled as Luke cheered and pulled him into a hug.

Leia rolled her eyes. “Boys,” she muttered.

* * *

After returning to the apartment, Bodhi took a quick shower before heading out to find some work. He texted Cassian between rides, mostly about stupid little things like books and movies. Cassian was very opinionated about classic literature. Bodhi teased him about his intense dislike for Mr. Rochester, though he did see the validity of points he made defending his reasons. Bodhi carefully never brought up the topic of Thanksgiving, preferring to do it in person. It would be hard enough to explain through text that his roommate's sister wanted him to bring his almost boyfriend and his ex to her family's holiday celebration.

By the time the evening rush was kicking in, they had decided to have date number three the next night.

HG: Do you want to go out or have an evening in?

BR: Will in involve a bed at some point?

HG: That can be arranged

Bodhi sent a quick yes, please before saying goodbye and checking his app again. A few fares were popping up, mostly around the area bars. He set an alarm on his phone to remind himself to take a break and eat and drove off. He couldn't wait until the next day. He had a million ideas for making the night extra special as he drove people around, noting interesting stories for Luke later. One of them might even earn him another dedication in his next book.

He pulled up outside a club, looking for the next person when his alarm went off. He silenced it, telling himself that he'd eat after, as a skinny man approached. “You the Pilot?”

Bodhi nodded. “Your name?”

The man seemed edgy, looking around nervously. “Why do you ask?”

Bodhi frowned. “Dude, there's like two other Pilots here. I'm just trying to make sure you have the right one.”

“You want the money or not?”

Bodhi shrugged and unlocked his doors. The man quickly climbed in the back, angling his body into the shadows. “Hey, can I change the address we're going to?”

Bodhi tried to meet his eyes in the mirror but he ducked his head away. “That depends. What's the change?”

“Same city, just different place. I'll tell you where to go once we get there.”

Something told him to cancel the ride and the man must have sensed it, for he pulled out a fifty and handed it over. “There's another when we get there.”

Bodhi reluctantly took the bill and started driving. He couldn't explain the overwhelming urge to just pull over and tell the guy to get out. Maybe, since meeting Jyn and Cassian, he had become overly cautious. There was no reason to feel this way, not that he could see. The man was quiet in the back, staring out the window the entire time. Bodhi tried to push down the feeling and was happy when they neared their destination. “Where to from here?”

“Um, turn here. Left at the gas station. On the next block, stop at the third house from the corner. Hey, if I pay you extra, can you wait for me?”

Bodhi shook his head. “Sorry, but each fare is only by the trip. You'd have to book another ride and it might not match us.”

“What if I give you five hundred? Just to wait and take me a few more places?”

He shook his head again. “I'm not sure that's a good idea.”

The man leaned forward, suddenly filling his space. “What if I don't give you a choice? My friends over there,” he said, nodding toward a group of men standing in a driveway watching them. “They don't got much to lose. Might not go so well for you if you try and leave.”

Bodhi held himself still, refusing to look back.

“I'll be out in a minute. I better see you waiting for me. I'll make it worth it.”

Bodhi closed his eyes as the man got out. He was tempted to take off but knew that wouldn't be the best idea, not from the way he was being watched. Trying to keep his movements to a minimum, he lowered his phone below the dashboard and sent a text to Jyn.

BR: I might have picked up a problem. What should I do?

She was quick to respond.

J: Does Cass know?

BR: No. Should I call him?

J: Don't. I'm tracking your location. I'll send someone to you.

Frowning, he quickly put his phone back on it's mount as the man returned. His eyes were darting back and forth. “Good choice, man. Now, do you know where the convention center is?” When Bodhi nodded, the man patted him on the shoulder and settled back into the shadows again. “Good. Just drive toward that.”

Bodhi slowly pulled out, glancing at his phone as a text came in.

J: Just keep driving. They'll find you.

He navigated around the one-way traffic, turning toward the waterfront. The man leaned forward to point him toward rundown hotel. “Go toward the back.”

Bodhi noticed a car start following them as he turned off the main street. The passenger was on his phone, pointing toward something as they turned into the alley behind them. The skinny man got out and hurried toward the building.

J: Do nothing unless you have to run

He blew out a shaky breath, watching as the man on the phone stepped out, still talking. He leaned against the building where he would be visible to anyone exiting, eyes trained on Bodhi's car. The skinny man took longer to return this time, glancing with alarm at the man. He hesitated to walk forward, noticing the car parked behind Bodhi.

“Uh, hey, you know what man, here. Just take this and forget it. I gotta go.” He handed Bodhi a twenty and took off toward the street. The man on the phone got back in the car and they pulled out to follow him.

J: Now that you're alone, I'd suggest going home.

BR: Thank you. Do I want to know?

J: No

J: I'll have someone follow you to make sure you get home safe. They'll keep close tonight.

J: We'll make sure you're reimbursed for this

J: I'll have to tell Cass later though

Bodhi gulped and drove toward the freeway barely maintaining the speed limit. The thought about what Cassian would say made him tense up. Would he be mad? Would he tell him to stop driving? Would he not care? And should he be concerned that Jyn seemed to have no problem knowing where he was at all times? He definitely planned to follow her advice and go home for the night. As he neared the apartment, he stopped to grab something from a drive-thru, suddenly starving as he remembered that he had missed his dinner.

He had never had a problem up until recently. Now it seemed as if sketchy people had no problems finding him, no matter where he went. He didn't know how to feel about where his life was heading right now. He just wanted to go to bed and pretend like things were normal again. He'd deal with it all later. It was time to call it a night. Tomorrow, he would see Cassian and, for better or worse, things would be changing. No sense worrying for now.

Or so he told himself to try and stop his shaking hands. Sleep definitely sounded like a great idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'd almost think Luke didn't like his family or something, wouldn't you? He's such a little drama queen about them. Wonder who he gets that from?
> 
> Plot is slowly working it's way forward, so hang on folks. The tension should start ramping up soon. For anyone still reading, thank you all so very very much! You are all wonderful and make writing this oh so much fun.


	11. Chapter 11

Bodhi was exhausted when he woke up around eight, hand fumbling for his phone to stop it's incessant ringing. “Hello?”

“Good morning, sunshine. Rise and shine!”

He flopped back against his pillow, whining. “Fucking hell, it's too early to be this cheerful, Jyn.”

“Lazy. Don't worry, I'll train that out of you. Got a job for you. Food delivery. Same as last time.”

Bodhi sighed as he sat up. “It's Sunday.”

“Yes, well, people still work, so get moving. You can go see Cass after, I'm sure he'll be eager to lock you away again.”

Rolling his eyes, Bodhi crawled out of bed. “Hey, thanks for last night—”

“It's fine. We protect our own. You did the right thing by letting me know. It'll be taken care of.”

“You didn't kill him, did you?” he asked, worried.

“Of course not. We just tracked him for a bit. Made him paranoid. He deserved it, anyway. We've had a run in with him before. Now get going, okay? Love ya babe, see you soon.”

Bodhi blinked at his phone as she disconnected before he could respond. He shook his head and headed for the bathroom. Luke was still asleep when he finally left, scowling at the elevator that had stopped working again. He backed out of his space and pulled out onto the street, waving to the black car parked near the corner; he recognizing it from the night before. As he neared the restaurant, he woke up enough to have a sudden thought.

BR: Is it even open this early?

J: Go to the back and they'll let you in

He found a place to park in the alley and glanced at the door. It opened as he walked up, Baze waiting for him.

“Decided to stick it out, did you?”

Bodhi shrugged. “One way or another, I'm in the middle of it. Might as well make some money from it if I can.”

Baze laughed and patted him on the shoulder. “Okay, I like you. Come in. Have you eaten yet?” Bodhi shook his head as Baze locked the door behind him. “Good. I'll make some food. Chirrut will be down in a moment, just go wait at the table for him. Coffee or tea?”

“Either is fine.” Bodhi wandered into the main room, dimly lit except for the sunlight coming in from the windows at the far end. He could hear the sound of someone moving around upstairs, as well as Baze calling out something in Chinese. Chirrut responded in kind before stomping his way down the stairs and into the room.

“Well, it's nice to see you again.” He grinned as if he could sense Bodhi's eye roll. “How are things going with the Captain?”

“Pretty good, or so it seems,” Bodhi said, trying to stifle a yawn. He smiled in gratitude as Baze set a pot of coffee before him. “Haven't been shot yet, so I guess that's a plus.”

Baze snorted as he walked away. “He wouldn't shoot you, not if he likes you. He'd have someone else do it and report back to him.”

Chirrut swatted at Baze's hip as he walked away. “Don't scare the boy. Relax,” he said, sensing the fact that Bodhi had frozen with his cup halfway to his lips. “You'll know if he's mad at you. Trust me. And the fact that you're here again means they obviously trust you.”

Bodhi forced himself to move, taking a deep breath. “I might have fucked up yesterday, though.”

Chirrut's head tilted to the side. “How so?”

“I went out, picked up some fares. Wound up with a...I don't know. Maybe I just overreacted.”

“If you think something was wrong, it probably was,” Chirrut said, leaning back as Baze returned with plates of food and a teapot. He turned his cheek up, waiting for his morning kiss.

Baze complied before dropping into his chair. “Little Sister told me a bit about what happened. Why do you think you overreacted?”

Bodhi pushed at his food, eyes downcast. “I don't know. This guy, he just seemed weird, and he made me nervous, more so as time went on. He wanted go someplace different than what he told the app, he wanted me to wait for him. Like, dude, I'm not a taxi, I can't just add on to your fare.” He rubbed at his head, sighing.

“Where did he want to go?” When Bodhi related the address, Baze nodded. “You definitely didn't overreact. That place is known for drug sales.”

“And is part of one of the Captain's biggest rivals,” Chirrut said.

“You two know a lot about all of this, don't you?” Bodhi asked, studying them in a new light.

Baze shrugged. “A fair bit. And, that's not technically true,” he told Chirrut. “The gang that works out of that area isn't necessarily Captain's biggest rival, but they've had some dealings with those he's been trying to drive out.”

Bodhi tapped his fingers on the table. “Should I be worried?”

“Always be worried,” Baze said, reaching for his tea. “It'll keep you on your toes. Just don't let it consume you. You have good instincts; just keep listening to them and you can't go wrong. Besides, you have Little Sister watching out for you. Soon enough, word will get around and only the truly stupid ones will try anything.”

“That's not that reassuring.”

Baze snorted and pointed toward his food. “Eat before it gets cold.”

Bodhi picked up his fork and took a bite of the omelet, eyes closing. “Holy shit, this is amazing!” He tried the rice next, humming as he scooped up more. It had been lightly fried until it had an almost nutty taste, along with diced up vegetables and— “Crap. There's no fish in these, right?” he asked, suddenly nervous. “I forgot, I should have mentioned—”

“It's fine. Little Sister already warned us before you came here the first time. It's pork. And I used mirin instead of oyster sauce. I'm not in the business of trying to poison my customers.” Baze gestured toward the food. “If there's anything else you'd like to avoid, just let me know.”

Bodhi shook his head. “No, just fish. Though I'm not a fan of anything that's insanely spicy. I like heat, but not like those challenge levels of heat.”

“Then stay away from the Captain when he's trying to make a point. I swear that kid burned off his taste buds years ago.”

Bodhi giggled at the idea of anyone calling Cassian a kid. He wondered how he would react to hearing Baze say it. “Well, thank you for the food and the coffee. This really is some of the best food I've had in awhile. But I should probably get going. I was supposed to make another delivery.”

“We're not quite ready for that yet. I'm still trying to get things together. Why don't you two wait down here will I finish things up.”

Chirrut poured himself more tea as Baze ducked into the kitchen. “Have you guessed yet what we are?” he asked with a grin.

“I have an idea.”

“We'll, it's probably right. You can trust us with anything. Think of us as a set of crazy uncles. If you need to get out, come to us first. We can help you disappear. Same thing if you get hurt. Minor things, like stitches and sprains, we can fix.”

“Like with the Captain that first night?”

Chirrut nodded. “The Captain doesn't like doctors. Too many questions get asked. Before I lost most of my sight, I taught Baze some of what I knew. The Captain trusts us, though it took a long time to gain it. Same with Little Sister. But what I said was true. If you want out, come to us first. We'll keep you safe. They'll never find you.”

Bodhi smiled sadly. “Okay. Thank you. But I'm not sure if...”

“You don't have to decide now. Just think about it. We're here if you ever just want to stop by in a non-work related capacity as well.”

“That means a lot. Thank you.”

“There are more people in your life that worry and care about you than you know, Bodhi Rook. Try not to forget that.”

* * *

Bodhi had stuck around for another hour, laughing as Chirrut told him jokes while they wiped down the tables. They traded weird customer stories; it both fascinated and horrified Bodhi just how rude people could be at times. Chirrut was telling him about the time a woman had been ignoring her son, who proceeded to pull down an entire shelf of glass tea jars and ceramic pots. She had finally started paying attention once Baze handed her a bill for several hundred dollars. “She started screaming about how it was our fault for having such 'dangerous' objects where her 'precious baby' could be 'tempted' by them. When Baze wouldn't back down, she called her husband who came in to threaten us.”

“No! What happened?!”

Chirrut grinned in Baze's direction as he walked up with two large bags. “What do you think? Mr. Tall, dark, and scary here stood up straight, looked down at the guy and demanded that he pay.”

“I didn't demand anything. I merely pointed out the security camera that caught the kid climbing up on the tables and asked him, politely, to pay. Which he did.”

“Sweetheart, my love, I don't think you realize just how scary you can be when you're trying to be nice.”

“Oh, I know. That's why I do it. Here.” He handed the first bag to Bodhi. “For our friend. Food and drink. Instructions are underneath. Find out what he wants next, if you can. This other one is for you and the Captain. It's packed in ice, so it'll keep for a while. He'll know how to reheat it.”

“How much do I owe you?”

“Nothing,” Baze said, voice growing gruff. “I told you, I don't charge family.”

“Dude, that's a bad way to run a business. Besides, I can pay,” Bodhi argued.

“No. Get out of here, we need to get ready for the day.” Baze turned away, blushing slightly.

“He's not going to back down,” Chirrut said, standing up to lead Bodhi toward the alley. “Just let him do this. It makes him happy.” He undid the series of locks on the door before ushering Bodhi out. “Goodbye, Pilot. Have a safe journey and see you again soon.”

Bodhi huffed as he loaded the bags into his car. He glanced around as he got in, feeling as if eyes were watching him. You're just being paranoid, he told himself, though Baze's words played at the back of his mind. Trust his instincts. He drove around aimlessly for a while, taking random turns and obeying all traffic laws before he felt comfortable enough to navigate to his original destination. By the time he arrived, he was ready to call himself a fool. If anyone had been following him, and it seemed like a pretty big if, it was more than likely just some of Jyn's people.

He parked, fed the meter, and sent a quick text to Kay.

BR: Hey, this is Bodhi. I'm here with the food you ordered. I'm in the lobby.

He smiled at the receptionist, who scowled back, before settling into a bench.

“Can I help you?” she asked, eyes cold.

He held up the bag. “Just waiting.”

“I'll need to see some identification,” she started before Kay walked up behind her.

“That's fine, I got it.” He waved Bodhi over, checking the bag. “You're late. And this is cold,” he accused.

Bodhi shrugged. “Look, man. I just deliver the stuff. The chef said there were instructions on how to reheat it in the bag.”

Kay huffed and checked the containers. “That's fine, then. I'll just have to change my instructions next time.” he glanced toward the desk, where the receptionist had lost interest in them and gone back to work. Kay leaned in closer, voice low. “How did you get my number?”

“From my boss.” He wasn't sure if he should mention Cassian by name or not. He must have made the right choice as Kay nodded.

“That's fine, I guess. It's probably better.” he studied him, eyes calculating. He finally nodded and turned to walk away.

“What, no tip?” Bodhi called.

“I told you I don't tip. No exceptions.”

Bodhi rolled his eyes and turned to leave. The woman at the desk never looked up as he did. Once in his car, he sent Jyn a text, telling her he was done.

J: Excellent. Feel free to go to Cass's now. No more 'work' for the day, only 'play'

He rolled his eyes, switching over to Cassian's number.

BR: Did you still want to have that date today?

HG: If you want

BR: Of course I do

HG: Good. We have a lot to discuss.

Oh boy. Bodhi bit his lip, nervous.

BR: What time?

HG: Now is fine. Gate will have your access card waiting for you.

Bodhi sent Luke a quick text telling him he was meeting up with Cassian and headed out. His mind kept running over different scenarios. Jyn had told him about last night and he was mad at him. She had told him and he wanted to interrogate Bodhi (and not in the fun, sexy way—was there even a fun, sexy way?). Maybe he was going to blame Bodhi for what had happened. Maybe they were going to break up. That's stupid, he thought. They couldn't break up if they weren't even together, not really anyway.

It took him a while to reach the complex, which only allowed his nerves to grow. He pulled up to the guard shack and rolled down his window.

“ID?”

Bodhi smiled. “Um, I was told I could pick up my visitors access here?”

“Who told you that?”

“Cassian? Number 721.”

The guard stared at him before ducking back inside and reaching for a phone. Bodhi tried not to fidget as he spoke, eyes scanning his car. He finally hung up and returned. “I'll need to see your driver's license for conformation.”

Bodhi handed it over, shoulders dropping; they had worked their way up around his ears as he waited. The man stepped back inside, scanning it into the computer by his desk. He returned with it and another card. “Don't lose this, it's a pain to replace. This will give you access to the west garage, space number 221. Remember that you are a guest of the tenant only. Any problems you cause can lead to a removal of these privileges. Please observe all posted rules. Have a good day.”

“Thank you!” Bodhi waved at him as the gate swung open and started up the drive. He found the parking structure that Cassian had pointed out the last time and scanned his new card, blushing slightly as he caught sight of the picture he had sent yesterday. He found his space on the second level and pulled out the bag.

The elevator ride felt like it took forever. He blew out a breath as he reached the proper floor and headed in the right direction. He paused outside Cassian's door, wondering if he should just knock or text him first. He was saved by the door opening before he could make up his mind.

Cassian stood on the far side, expression unreadable, and Bodhi felt his heart sink. He stepped inside and waited.

Cassian looked him up and down without a word. Bodhi started to fidget. “Look, man. If you're mad at me, just say something, okay?”

“Go put the food away. We need to talk.”

Bodhi closed his eyes as Cassian walked away. He had to will his body to move toward the kitchen. He unpacked the boxes and neatly folded the bag, biding his time before he went to find Cassian sitting on the couch, two bottles of beer waiting.

“Sit down, and then tell me why you didn't feel it was necessary to tell me what was happening last night.”

Bodhi dropped down next to him, hands clasped between his knees. “You are mad at me.”

“Don't put word into my mouth,” Cassian growled. “Answer the question.”

“I didn't text you because I didn't want to bother you.”

Cassian huffed. “Try again.”

“It's the truth,” Bodhi said, temper starting to rise. “Look, I'm sure Jyn's already talked to you and told you everything. I picked up a guy last night for a ride. He made me a little uncomfortable, I panicked just a bit and texted Jyn. I didn't want to call you because I was worried that if it was nothing you'd overreact and scare the guy and I'd get a bad rating which I really can't afford right now.” He rubbed his face, elbows propped up on his knees. “So, I'm sorry if your ego was hurt because I asked someone else for help, but what was I supposed to do?”

Cassian grabbed his arm above the elbow and pulled until he was facing him. “You tell me first next time.”

“Why? Because I'm yours?”

“Yes.”

Bodhi laughed, a bitter tiny sound that washed away his anger. “Cassian. What are we? What does my 'being yours' even mean? You say the words, you follow the motions, but you tell me nothing. You say you won't share. So does that mean you want a real relationship? Does that mean we can have real conversations about our fears and concerns? Does that mean you'll open up to me? Actually talk to me when things don't go they way you hoped?”

Cassian's eyes softened, lips twitching. “Is that what you want? A relationship?”

Bodhi shook his head. “What I want right now doesn't matter. I need you to tell me what it is you want.”

Cassian pulled on his arm until he could kiss him. “I want to keep you forever. I want you to be by my side, no matter what happens. I want to keep you safe from danger.”

“But do you want a relationship?” Bodhi asked, words barely above a whisper.

“It wouldn't be that easy. Being with me could put you in danger, if the wrong people find out. If they just think you're a toy, a plaything for the moment, they will overlook you.”

“That's still not an answer.”

Cassian sighed and took his hands. “Yes, I would love to date you. To have a real relationship.”

“Good.” Bodhi nodded, shoulders relaxing a bit. “Then we want the same thing.”

“I am still mad at you, though,” Cassian said, frown returning. “Why did you go to Jyn over me last night?”

“I told you why.”

“Even after knowing that you weren't wrong?”

Bodhi looked away, ashamed. “I didn't want...I didn't want you to tell me that I was stupid, that I did something wrong.”

“You did nothing wrong,” he said, catching his chin and turning him for another kiss. “Except for making me worry. You did the right thing. I probably would have gone in and made things worse.”

“Probably?”

Cassian rolled his eyes. “Okay, I definitely would have. Jyn's approach was much more subtle. From what we've been overhearing, they don't suspect that you are tied to us yet.”

“So, this was a mob thing? A gang turf war?”

Cassian pushed him gently. “You have very weird ideas in that head of yours.”

“Yeah, well, look at my roommate.” He picked up his bottle and took a drink. “So, am I forgiven?”

“Yes.”

“And does this make you my boyfriend, officially?”

“Yes, Bodhi,” Cassian said with a laugh. “If that's what you want to call me.”

“I do. I really do. Or should I call you a sugar daddy? Do you want to be my daddy?” He fluttered his eyelashes, laughing as Cassian smacked him with a pillow.

“You'd have to let me give you money first. Is that what you want?”

“I just want you.”

“Well, that can be arranged.” Cassian pulled him in for longer kiss, tugging on his lip before pulling back. “I think we should just take it easy today. Just spend the day watching movies.” When Bodhi started pouting, Cassian sighed. “Bodhi, I was really worried about you. Jyn didn't tell me what was going on until after. She made sure I wasn't able to leave here, so I couldn't even get to you. I wanted to. I wanted to go to your apartment and see that you were okay. I don't like feeling like that.”

“Sorry.”

“It's not your fault. I just have a lot of issues. I'll tell you about them someday, but not now. Now, I just want to hold you. Is that okay?”

Bodhi smiled. “Sound like an amazing third date. You go get the food ready while I find us something to watch.”

Cassian brushed his fingers down his cheek and left the room. Bodhi scrolled through the list offered on his streaming service, trying hard not to think about how Cassian's television was bigger as his bed at Luke's. He smirked as he stumbled across a show he remembered watching as a kid; when he was four, he would sneak out late at night after his nanny thought he was tucked into bed, quietly moving through the halls until he reached the media room he was normally banned from. He set it up, ready to hit play and went to help.

Cassian smiled and bumped his hip as Bodhi joined him by the stove, watching as he expertly reheated the food. “You're really good at that.”

He shrugged. “Growing up like I did, it paid to learn to cook. Having useful skills always came in handy.”

Bodhi filled the electric kettle and settled against the counter. “So, now that I can actually call you my boyfriend, I wanted to ask you if you had any plans for Thanksgiving?”

“Unless something work related turns up, not really. Jyn is the only family I have.”

Bodhi filed both those new tidbits away for later. “Well, in that case, since you obviously know that I'm not going to go see my family this year, I was wondering if you'd like to come to my friend's dinner.”

“Friend's dinner as in your friends are hosting and cooking?” Cassian shrewdly asked.

“Luke and Leia's parents are having a dinner at their home and their mom wants me to come by. She kind of sees me as one of her children. Actually, she sees a lot of our friends as her kids. She's great that way. She said that both you and Jyn are invited, since Leia told her about us. Plus, she knows Jyn already, so...would you like to come?”

Cassian reached over to cover his hands, stopping him from picking at his nails. “Do you want me to come?”

“Well, you are my boyfriend, so...”

Cassian laughed. “Jyn knows them, huh?”

“Yeah. Leia said that her mom has helped her before, whatever that meant.”

“If this is something you want, I'll go. After all, relationships are all about sacrifices.”

Bodhi rolled his eyes. “So noble. I'll text you the address and time later.”

“Just tell me, are you sure you want everyone to meet your bad boy boyfriend?”

“I wouldn't have invited you if I didn't want you there. I'm not ashamed of you.”

Cassian smiled. “I'll talk to Jyn first, but most likely we'll say yes.” He dished up the food and handed the plates to Bodhi. “I'll bring along more drinks and the tea. Go start the movie.”

Bodhi kicked off his shoes before curling up on the couch, pillows arranged around him in a nest. Cassian raised an eyebrow as he joined him, kissing his hair as Bodhi settled against his chest and hit play.

“Really?” Cassian said, incredulous as the opening notes to the Remington Steele theme music started playing.

“Hey man, I used to love this show. I haven't seen it in forever. We can watch a movie after. For now, just shush!”

Cassian said nothing else, just gently brushing his fingers through his hair once Bodhi had finished eating and curled up against him. Bodhi found himself drifting off, head pillowed over Cassian's heart after he shifted his legs up onto the couch. They eventually switched over to a movie, though Bodhi honestly couldn't remember what it was. He woke up just after dark to Cassian suggesting they heat the leftovers for dinner.

Bodhi whined softly as Cassian shifted him off his body. “I thought today was going to involve a bed at some point.”

“After we eat.” Cassian kissed his forehead and headed toward the kitchen.

Bodhi changed back to the regular channels, flipping through until he found an episode of Bob's Burgers he had yet to see. He patted the cushion once Cassian returned, carrying only one plate this time. They shared the food, giggling over the escapades on the screen. By the time it ended, Cassian was nuzzling against the back of his neck and nipping at his ear. Bodhi shiver in his grip, almost breathless as he asked, “bed?”

“We'll clean up tomorrow,” Cassian said, pulling him to his feet.

Bodhi giggled as they went upstairs. He let Cassian push him down onto the dark sheets, reaching out to pull him down on top of him. Somewhere between the kisses, they broke apart to remove shirts and pants, hands wandering as their lips found each other again and again. Bodhi sighed as Cassian worked his way down his neck. “You don't have to take it so slow, you know. I think we've proven that I'm tougher than I look.”

Cassian surged up for a kiss, tongue tracing his lips as he pulled back. “While that might be the case, I'll decide what will happen in this bed.”

“Oh will you?” Bodhi asked, smirking. He reached out to trace the still pink scar above Cassian's left hip, new skin shining in the light from the lamp.

He caught his hand and pinned it to the bed. “Have I not made good choices?” His voice was playful, eyes bright as he tried to hold back a smile.

“Nope. Definitely loved everything so far. Carry on, good sir.”

Cassian leaned down, body holding him still against the bed. “Then let me have my fun. We're taking this slow.”

Bodhi started to whine. Cassian shut him up with another kiss. “I really was worried about you. I don't like worrying about things. I just...I need to know you're safe.”

He could feel his hands shaking as they brushed down his arms. Bodhi wrapped his arms tight around his shoulders, holding him close. “I'm sorry. I didn't think. But, just so you know, I'm more resourceful than you think.”

“I'm sure you are.”

They kept things slow and easy, light touches gradually growing bolder as time passed. Every time Bodhi tried to speed things up, Cassian would grab his hands and pin them over his head. He finally gave in, relaxing into Cassian's control, groaning as he rubbed his cock against him. “My good, sweet boy. I'll keep you safe, no matter what happens.” Bodhi tried to respond, to tell him that he shouldn't promise things he might not be able to keep, but his words failed him as Cassian wrapped his hand around both of them. His grip tight, he rolled his hips forward, kissing his neck as Bodhi gasped. It was over before he could prepare himself; one moment Cassian's hand was gripping him with almost too much strength, the next a burst of intense pleasure. He dug his nails into Cassian's back, shuddering as he felt him keep up his movements, coming a few strokes later with a gentle sigh in his ear.

They lay wrapped up in each others arms until Bodhi squirmed slightly. “We should probably get cleaned up.”

Cassian rolled to the side, eyes closed. “How about a bath?”

“What, too tired for a shower?” Bodhi teased as he reached for his hand.

“I was just thinking that it would be nice to sit and soak for a bit.”

Bodhi interlaced their fingers. “Trying to spoil me? Ruin all other men for me? Because it might be working.” He grinned when he heard Cassian snort. “I gotta ask, though. How'd you get so good at this? Besides Jyn, is there a string of jealous ex's I need to worry about? Scott Pilgrim style? Am I going to have to fight to keep you?”

Cassian sat up, brushing his hair from his eyes. He was smiling, though there was something dark that flashed across his face for a fleeting second. “You haven't reach significant boyfriend level to unlock my tragic backstory. Maybe for the sixth date. And you have a very interesting taste in media.”

“Yeah, well, young Chris Evans is hot. So is current Chris. Hell, all the Chris's.”

Cassian shook his head. “I refuse to let you try and make me jealous. Now, get up. I'll go start the water.”

“Don't worry. Your ass is much nicer.” He giggled to himself as he heard him sigh. Stretching, he wandered after him, yawning. “Let's make this quick, though. I'm probably going to fall asleep soon.”

“I'll take that as a compliment.”

“You should. I don't think I've slept this much in awhile. I feel bad, I've slept through most of our date.”

“You've been working too much lately. You need to get more rest.” Cassian poured in a pearly liquid. “And I've enjoyed watching you sleep. You look adorable, even when you drool.”

Bodhi rolled his eyes, embarrassed. He decided to change the subject. “Why does a mob guy have bubble bath anyway?”

He shrugged. “I think it was a gag gift from Jyn last year. She'll be pleased I finally found a use for it.” He gestured for Bodhi to get in, following as he turned off the water. He wrapped his arms around him as Bodhi snuggled in close. “Good?”

“Perfect. Don't let me sleep here, though.”

Cassian hummed and held him tight.

He must have drifted off; he slowly became aware of movement around him, of something soft running across his body as he shivered in the cool breeze. “Shh. I've got you.” He mumbled as he felt Cassian hand him clothes. “Do you need help?” He shook his head, yawning as he pulled on the shirt and boxers handed to him.

“These aren't my clothes.”

Cassian pulled him to his feet and scooped him up, holding him against his chest. “The ones you left here are being washed. I've got a space for them in the closet when they're clean.”

“Already planning to move me in?” he asked, eyes closed tight as he leaned his head against Cassian's shoulder.

“Would that be such a bad thing?”

Bodhi couldn't answer. He was out as soon as his head hit the pillow, body more relaxed than it had ever been. He could get used to this, to being spoiled so thoroughly each day of his life. What could possibly go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will our love birds ever try to fully work out their issues? Will Cassian ever talk about his feelings without closing off? Will we unlock his "tragic back story"? Well, guess you'll have to keep reading to find out.
> 
> I feel like I might have dated myself with this one. Anyone but me ever watch Remington Steele at three in the morning before your parents yelled at you to go to sleep? No? Okay, I'll slink back to my corner then.
> 
> Next chapter will revolve around Thanksgiving and will include more characters than any other chapter, so it might take some time to finish. In the mean time, enjoy this slightly longer than normal chapter. Good things come to those who wait, though. Happy reading y'all!


	12. Chapter 12

“Nice shirt,” Leia commented, unable to keep the sarcasm from her voice.

“Thank you,” Bodhi said, setting his bags down in the corner. “This where I'm sleeping?”

“It's this or the pull-out in the office.”

“I'll move my stuff later.”

She shrugged as she walked away. “The sofa is probably much more comfortable, just saying.” She held up her mug, not looking back. “Coffee?”

“I love you, Leia,” he called, voice lifting into a singing tone. He giggled as she flipped him off.

While Luke might have become his best friend while in college, it was Leia that he felt a special fondness for. Unlike Luke, who egged him on into almost impossible situations (he'd really like to never have flash back to a spring break spent in the Bahamas again, thank you), Leia was his voice of reason. Unflinching, caring beyond her years, and perceptive to what he kept hidden, she had become the sister he had wished for. With Luke, he knew he was in for fun and commiseration; with Leia, well...it depended on how badly he had fucked up. He was just as likely to get sympathy as a smack on the head.

(There was a part of him that really wanted to see her go head to toe with his mother, though he secretly felt that an encounter such as that just might cause another world war to break out.)

She brought him a cup, settling into a large leather recliner, Luke's cat R2 jumping up onto her lap. Luke always called it her “power chair, the best place to plan her world domination”. She truly looked regal in it, though the addition of the cat helped complete her super villain look.

Bodhi took the sofa, trying to be careful and not spill the hot liquid on the pristine white surface. He rolled his eyes as he caught her eyeing the design on his dark shirt yet again. Luke had given it to him for his birthday last year; it consisted of a cartoon squirrel holding a pile of acorns with the caption “ask me about my nuts.” He had worn it enough that the neckline had stretched out and a hole was forming near the bottom. It was also one of the few things that had survived his last break up and the loss of his job, so he tended to wear it mostly when he wanted to sulk. “You'll be happy to know that my boyfriend thinks it's just as ridiculous as you do.”

Leia studied him. “So, it's official?”

“As of yesterday.”

She hummed and tucked her legs under her body. “Well, mom will be happy, at least.” She closed her eyes for a moment. “In fact, let's not tell her until we get there. Otherwise she'll go even more overboard than she already has.”

“That bad?”

Leia scowled, pulling out her phone. “Well, let's see. She wants flower arrangements for every room—fresh, mind you. Hors d'oeuvre, wine, specialty coffee and desserts. She's lost her mind. Wants this to be, and I quote, 'the best family affair we've ever had'. Dad doesn't help, he just humors her and goes along with it, even though I know he hates the idea. He'd rather have something simple. But he loves her and wants her to be happy, so I'm stuck having to buy half this stuff while finishing my work for this week.”

“Anything I can help with?”

She raised an eyebrow. “How comfortable are you with flower shops and pretentious markets?”

Bodhi sighed. “More than I'd like to admit, though it has been years since I was last in one.”

“Better than Luke. He'd just fuck everything up on purpose to be a little brat. If you really want to help, I'll give you some money and send you the lists.”

Bodhi shook his head. “It's fine, I'll get it. It's the least I can do, seeing as I'm living here for free this week. Right?”

It was Leia's turn to roll her eyes. “Yes, Bodhi, I'm not going to charge you.”

“Then it's settled.”

“No it's not. Bodhi, how much money do you have?”

“Enough?”

Leia stared him down. “I'm giving you money. And I'll pay for your gas. No arguments. Just save the receipts so I can give them to mom.”

He sat finishing his coffee as Leia compiled a full list on her phone. He felt himself relaxing, soothed by the white walls and furniture; the room was accented in silver and glass, making it seem larger than it was. Bodhi couldn't help but compare it to Cassian's place. While both had a minimal feel, they couldn't have been more different. Leia's had a calming effect; it felt clean and quiet, while retaining a comfortable lived in feeling. Cassian's felt like a showroom, like a place waiting for it's people to arrive.

He jerked as his phone chimed. He unlocked the phone, eyes widening as he read what she had sent.

“Okay,” Leia was saying. “I've sent you a list of stores, as well as itemized lists for each place. I've included the recipes just in case you need context. I've also prioritized everything with when it needs to be done by. Don't feel like you need to do everything all at once, or even at all. Just tell me what you can't get to.”

“Can't she just have a delivery service drop these things off?”

Leia rolled her eyes. “She wants things hand picked. I told her that she should just go do it herself, but that obviously didn't work. Let me know if you need more money.”

“Dude, you sent more than my rent.” He sighed and grabbed his old patched jacket. “I'll go get started. Do you want me to bring the stuff here or drop it off?”

“Bring it here. I'll take it over later. I'm not going to ask you to drive that far for nothing.” Leia tilted her head as he reached the door. “You're going out like that?”

Bodhi glanced at his scuffed and stained yellow converse. He shrugged. “Might as well give them a reason to judge me, right?”

Leia laughed. “Don't forget the key I gave you.”

Bodhi made his first stop at the florist Leia had listed. He already hated it as he stepped into the large open space, high ceiling making half of it look like a barn, while the front entryway was designed to resemble a greenhouse. He glanced at the over priced ceramic pots on the shelves, artfully arranged in small clusters and instantly had flashbacks to being six and being dragged by his mother into a place similar to it. He also remembered the injustice of being yelled at after his brother pushed him into a large vase and broke it. He shook his head and smiled as the shop attendant approached him, nose wrinkled. “Can I help you?”

“Yes,” Bodhi said, pulling out his phone and consulting the notes Leia had included. “I'm here to place an order for some arrangements, but I need to see what you offer before I can make a decision on behalf of my client. I'm actually a bit surprised that you don't offer online ordering.”

“Well, most of our customers prefer to do things a bit more...hands on, shall we say. This way please.” The clerk led him toward the back. “You are aware that our prices are a bit...extravagant.”

“Well, I'm sure Mrs. Amidala won't be bother by that.” Bodhi grinned when the clerks attitude shifted immediately. Maybe this would wind up being more fun than he originally thought.

Once the flowers were chosen and paid for, he drove to the market Leia had recommended, rolling his eyes as he paid the valet to park his car (and why anyone would shop at a place that required a valet just to get groceries he couldn't understand). Inside, he grabbed a cart and plotted his course around the store. Fresh produce and herbs would have to wait until another day according to the notes, so for now it was dry goods and meats. He sighed as he saw duck listed, along with wagyu beef.

BR: Am I going to be required to wear a suit to this thing?

Princess (Leia): Tie is optional, but jacket and dress shirt are a must. No exceptions, not even dad.

He swore softly under his breath, startling the woman with about three carats worth of diamonds on her hands next to him. She shied away, glancing back as he reached for a number at the deli counter. He ignored her and read the list again.

BR: I refuse to buy the fish, just fyi

PL: Wimp. I'll pick it up later.

Bodhi stepped forward as his number was called. “Yes, I need two pounds of uncured bacon, center cut if you have it. And one pound of the thick cut applewood smoked....”

* * *

Around three in the morning, after realizing that no matter how he moved, the old springs in the pull out bed were going to scream as if he was trying to murder something, he gave up and retreated to the sofa. R2 meowed at him, following him down the hall before huffing and running off once he realized he wasn't going to get fed. As he sat there, tired but unable to sleep, he scrolled through random apps on his phone, hoping something would either capture his interest or else knock him out completely. He sent a meme that made him smile to Cassian, hoping that when he woke up it would work on him too. He saw surprised to get an immediate response.

HG: That's hilarious! Thanks, I needed a lol

BR: Sorry if I woke you :(

HG: I've been up for a bit. Why are you up? You've been at your friends for hours.

HG: Is everything ok?

Bodhi stared at his phone, not sure how to proceed. He didn't know how to explain how he was feeling today, not when nothing particularly bad had happened. Sure, he'd had some weird looks, with his torn shirt and his too bright shoes. He'd heard some snide remarks toward the bun he had pulled his hair into but he was used to those. No, he had no words to explain why he was awake before dawn. He wanted to use the bed as an excuse, but that would be lying even to himself. Instead, he tried to change the subject.

BR: Sorry I slept through most of our date yesterday. Guess I was really tired.

HG: It's fine. I love seeing you sleep. You're very cute when you're relaxed.

Bodhi blushed and rubbed at his face.

BR: Even when I drool? :P

HG: Especially. I think we've established that I don't care about bodily fluids.

BR: Dude, too early

HG: Today or relationship?

BR: Guess

BR: Why are you awake? Did you even go to sleep?

HG: Yes, I went to sleep. I'm leaving soon for a meeting.

Bodhi caught the unsaid meaning behind the word and couldn't help the tingle of fear that ran through him.

BR: Please be careful

HG: As much as I can

HG: I promise I'll still be here for our next date

BR: Good.

He hesitated, biting his lip.

BR: I miss you. I know this was my idea, not to stay with you, but...

HG: Want to talk? I can call. Skype.

BR: No, don't want to wake Leia. Thanks though. I'm fine, just tired.

HG: You work yourself too hard without resting. I worry about you.

Bodhi closed his eyes, feeling overwhelmed. He stared at the screen for a long time, carefully considering his words. Everything he started to type felt like he was trying to pick a fight.

BR: I'll be fine. Thank you though.

HG: You are very strong. You've faced down Jyn twice now. Not many can do that. I'm impressed.

HG: Next time though, we need to establish some rules.

BR: Like what?

HG: Like how at least one day a week I expect you to take a day off. Do nothing work related.

BR: Is that going to be an order? Because I do need to pay rent ;p

HG: I'll just have to find more jobs for you here if you won't let me pay for things. What's the going rate for blowjobs? Remember, I tip well.

Bodhi giggled and rolled onto his side. He took a selfie of himself sticking out his tongue, sending it before he could change his mind.

HG: I'm making that your contact pic since it's cute like you

HG: Do you want to meet up for a bit before I have to go? There's a 24hr diner near you that I've been to before.

BR: It's ok. Thank you for asking. I'll send you the info for Thursday soon. Leia wants me to go over with her early, she said you two could just meet us there.

HG: Sounds good. Jyn said yes, btw.

BR: See you soon, then. Have a good meeting today. Stay safe.

He stopped himself before he could write the words he wanted to say. Cassian must have stopped himself as well. The typing icon appeared and disappeared a few times before he responded.

HG: I will. See you soon. Call if you need anything.

* * *

By miracle, or else by design of an amazing architect, the morning sun made its appearance, making the room glow. Bodhi woke up on the couch, frowning at the blanket covering him, as he smelled freshly brewed coffee. He sat up, heels of his hands pressing into his eyes as Leia brought him a mug. She scowled at the cat occupying her chair before joining him on the couch.

“Gave up on the bed?”

“Too noisy,” he yawned.

She hummed and settled in close to him, head resting on his shoulder. “Is that the only reason? I heard you pacing last night when you got home. Are you feeling okay?”

Bodhi laughed softly; even to himself he sounded close to tears. “I honestly don't know anymore. I'm just so tired. Have you ever...have you ever just felt like—like nothing was ever going to work out?”

“A few times,” she said, voice soft and gentle. “Has Luke told you yet?”

“That he might not renew his lease? Yeah, he told me a while ago that he's thinking about moving in with Wedge soon.” He stared at the hole forming in his sock. “I'll figure something out.”

Leia took his hand. “Bodhi, did Luke ever tell you about our parents?”

He blinked, a bit surprised by the change in topic. “A bit. Mostly about your mom, especially before I first met her.”

Leia sighed. “Well, Luke does like her more than dad. He's a lot like her.”

“I've noticed.”

“And I'm quite a bit more like dad.” She snorted, leaning closer. “Before we were born, our dad got sent to jail, for the first time as near as we can figure. Mom's had most of his records sealed from when he was a child. Foster records, adoption papers, none of it is accessible without a lot of time and money. She'll barely talk to us about it. It drove Luke crazy, once he started writing. She'll tell him nothing. We never really saw him outside of prison visits until we were almost ten. He swore, when he was released, that he'd never do anything to get sent back, that he wanted to make up for the time he had lost with us.”

“I take it that was a lie?”

“Not entirely. As far as we know, he followed the rules. He tried to reconnect with his family; by then he only had his stepbrother left. Owen wanted nothing to do with him. Beru had to force him to let us visit—as long as Dad stayed away. Mom's side was just as bad. They never forgave him for what he did to her before she had us. And then when we were thirteen, we started receiving threats. Mom tried to hide it from us; we had private security so we rarely saw it directly, but it was hard not to miss the tension. Especially once the detectives started coming around again. Mom finally decided that it would be best to send us someplace safer.”

Bodhi squeezed her hand, waiting for her to continue.

“Luke went to live with Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, on their farm. He hated it there, but he loved them. And Uncle Ben lived close by, so he was always visiting, which really annoyed Owen. I was sent to live with Aunt Breha and Uncle Bail. Breha was related to mom; they were cousins, distantly I think. They loved me and wanted to gain full custody of me. Apparently they tried to say that mom was unfit to have us, something about putting us in danger. They never went through with it though. Breha got sick and Bail decided it would be better to try and keep the family peace. Didn't matter anyway, because Dad was indicted and, as part of his plea bargain, gave up a lot of information he had been sitting on and sent a lot of people to jail. The investigation and subsequent trial lasted for years, but in the end, the threats stopped and we could go home. Luke cried the day mom came for him; he had grown really close to Beru. I refused. I was almost seventeen, about to graduate a year early, and I liked where I was. Mom relented, but it wasn't a great period for us. Bail was the one that finally suggested we go to therapy. Not that Luke wanted to. He just likes to pretend that nothing bad ever happens.”

“I've noticed.”

She shrugged. “Can't blame him. He and mom like to see the world as a cheery place. He never even went to see dad this time around. I did. I yelled at him, for putting us at risk again. I think it made him proud. So, even if it feels like nothing is going to work out right this very moment, things will change. Look at us. We're survivors. We take the hits and keep going. I chose to use Breha and Bail's name over my families, just so I could have a fresh start. And look at what you've done.”

Bodhi snorted. “Yeah, I've done so well, haven't I? Expelled twice, lost my job, lost my savings, had my ex destroy practically everything I own—after getting me fired. I've done so well for myself.”

“I know you're being sarcastic, but that's okay. You're still here and still going. Things will get better. You haven't given up yet.”

“Maybe I should. Did I tell you just how badly I fucked up the other day?” When she shook her head, Bodhi sighed and said, “I made the mistake of telling my mum that Jyn was my girlfriend. I panicked and said the wrong thing without thinking and now she's coming to visit next week and expects me and 'Dawn' to meet her for lunch. I'm screwed.”

“And what did Cassian say?”

“He thinks it's a great cover story.” Bodhi closed his eyes. “So far, you are the only one that knows what he is. Or suspects anyway. I have to be so careful what I say and it's hard. I just want to stop caring and live my life however I want and I can't.”

“You could just tell your mom the truth. There's not much she could do about it anyway.”

“I'm not ready for that kind of argument yet.”

Leia sighed. They sat in silence for a while, drinks growing cold. “If you want,” Leia said, sounding as if she was forcing her words out. “If you want, you can invite Cassian over. No Jyn though. That woman is not allowed here ever.”

Bodhi pulled back to look at her. “You'd do that? Let me bring him over?”

“Yes. You've been a lot happier since you've met him. It's been a while since I've seen you smile as much as you have been. And as much as I don't like any of this, it's not my place to judge until I know more. My background check of him is still pending.”

“Thanks Leia. That means a lot to me, that you'd offer that. But I won't put you through it. I'll be fine.”

“Mom will probably talk to you on Thursday about the job in her office, or at least set up an interview for you. Things will get better. We won't let you sink.”

“You're the best non-related sister I could ever ask for.”

“Damn straight. Now why don't we go get some breakfast. I don't feel like cooking today.”

“Best idea ever.”

* * *

Twice before Thanksgiving, Bodhi delivered food to Kay. Each time he looked more harried than the time before. Bodhi asked him if he was feeling okay; the circles were growing quite dark under his eyes. “Never you mind.” Bodhi had been shocked when he pressed a tip into his hand, though that shock turned into an eye roll when he discovered it was just a rolled up green paper from a memo pad. For some reason he tucked it into his pocket and drove away.

He stopped back at Baze and Chirrut's for some take out, surprised to find the place busy for once. Baze waved him toward the back. “The usual?”

“Actually, no. I'm taking some to a friend as a thank you for letting me use her couch this week.”

He nodded. “When you decide, just tell Killi over there. Feel free to sit and wait if you want.”

Bodhi glanced at the young woman he had never met before and shook his head. “I'm okay with standing. Business seems good today.”

Chirrut nodded as he sorted out clean dishes. “Always happens before a holiday, everyone gets too lazy to cook for themselves. We do sell a lot of boxes of tea and coffee though, so that is nice.”

Baze came out from the kitchen and pushed Bodhi toward a chair. “Sit already. I'll start your food after my break. I wanted to go over some stuff with you anyway.”

Bodhi glanced back, eyes wide. “Is that a good idea with all these people?”

“They won't hear us,” Baze said, right as a loud crash came from the back. Chirrut started yelling something and stormed off while around them the conversation levels picked up. Rolling his eyes, Baze leaned forward. “Tell me you own a burner phone.”

Bodhi blinked at him, unsure of what to say.

Baze stared at him in shock. “You don't have a second phone?”

“No? I can't afford a service plan on it, so there's no point anyway.”

Baze pinched the bridge of is nose. “I'm going to kill that girl. Look here, Pilot. You definitely need one. For a couple of reasons. If your phone gets compromised or hacked, anyone could track you. Also, if you ever need to run, you don't want them to know it.”

“Don't want who to know it?” Bodhi asked.

Baze merely gave him a look and continued on. “I'll get you something after the holidays. Little Sister owes me anyway. I'll explain what to do with it then. Also, did our friend give you anything today?”

Bodhi fished out the paper and handed it over. Baze frowned at it. “That's all he gave me. He barely spoke between today and yesterday. Is it important?”

“Probably not, but I'll check. There won't be any deliveries next week, maybe not for a while. Little Sister will let you know when they'll start again, but don't let that make you a stranger. I expect you to come visit.”

“I can't pay for a phone,” Bodhi warned.

Baze shook his head. “I'll make her pay for it. Like I said, she owes me. Now, what do you want today? Something specific or should I surprise you?”

“And what are you doing tomorrow?” Chirrut asked, emerging from the back. He looked frazzled and annoyed, smile forced as he moved toward them. “If you don't have plans, you can always come here. Officially we'll be closed, but family is always welcome.”

“Thanks, but I actually have someplace to go this year. My friend's parents are having a party and even invited the Captain over.”

Baze raised an eyebrow as he stood up. “Sounds serious. Offer still stands. Give me a few, I'll have something ready for you. And remember what we talked about. No excuses.”

Bodhi fell silent, watching the controlled chaos around him. That little voice was back, telling him he was never going to be as confident as Chirrut seeking out the correct tin and measuring the proper amount with confidence. That he was never going to feel as secure in the world as Baze, who let nothing rattle him. That he'd never be as fierce as Jyn, or as strong as Leia. He sighed and pushed away those thoughts. He wasn't looking forward to the visit with his family. Not at all.

* * *

Bodhi was fidgeting again, standing in the open space between the dining room table and the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring out at the bright blue sky. He was nervously picking at his cuffs, twisting the buttons of the dark gray shirt until they threatened to pop off. He watched as a seabird wheeled by, hearing it's call and the crash of the waves through the open french door to his right.

“Stop that. I'm not telling you again,” Leia hissed at him.

He was kept from replying by Padme returning, a sulking Luke in her wake. “I'm so sorry to run off like that, I just needed to get the potatoes in the oven. Bodhi, you were such a lifesaver, I can't thank you enough for going and getting all the food for me. I wish you'd let me pay you for it. Especially for all your help this morning. And those flowers you chose were prefect!””

“It wasn't a bother at all, I was glad to be able to help. Besides, you offered to feed me, so the very least I could do was help.”

Padme smiled at him. “Such a gentleman. I'm so glad Luke has you as a friend.” She missed Luke rolling his eyes. She smoothed her hands down her royal blue dress, frowning as she tried to remember something. “Luke, sweetie, did we remember to baste the turkey again.”

“Yes, mom. We did.”

“Mom, why didn't you just let the chef cook everything this year?” Leia scolded.

Padme was shaking her head. “I gave her the week off. She does so much, she deserved to go visit her family. And besides, this is a day to be with the people you love. Luke, you did invite Wedge, didn't you?”

“I told him.” Luke shrugged, looking indifferent. “He has his own family thing to go to so I told him not to bother.”

Padme frowned at him, clearly disappointed. She turned toward Bodhi. “And what about you?”

“Oh, ah...Cassian will be here soon. And he's bringing his...sister?” He wasn't exactly sure how Leia had explained Jyn and didn't want to get into the details about how his boyfriend was still friends with his ex. He hadn't had enough to drink to start on that route yet.

“Han and Lando probably won't show up until after the food is served,” Leia said, fixing the flower arrangement on the table. “Han can barely tell time and Lando likes to be fashionably late, so....”

“Well, we'll just start without them, shall we? Now lets see....” Padme studied the table, seemingly happy with everything. “It looks perfect. Thank you so much for helping. This means a lot to your father...” She seemed to realize that one person was missing. Sighing, she hurried toward the stairs. “Ani!” she called, raising her hands to cup around her mouth. “Anakin! Get down here already!”

“Coming!”

She rolled her eyes. “I expect you to be down here before anymore of our guests arrive.”

“Yes, dear. I know, I'm sorry, I was just having a bit of trouble....” Bodhi got his first look at the twin's father as he limped down the stairs, hands fumbling with the top buttons of his dress shirt. He gave Padme a pathetic look, eyes wide and sad as he gestured toward himself. “I can't get it fastened.”

“Oh Ani, you should have said something, I could have helped you,” Padme scolded, hurrying over to fix his clothes. He sheepishly ducked his head, a softly stammered sorry escaping. “Silly. Just ask for help next time.”

“I didn't want to bother you,” he mumbled, smiling as she kissed his cheek.

“Well, we're all fixed now, aren't we. Come and meet Bodhi.”

Bodhi took his hand as he said hello, shaking it in greeting. “It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Skywalker.”

“Please, I've heard so much about you from Leia, I feel like you're already family. Call me Ani. Or at least Anakin.”

“Oh, of course.” Bodhi felt some of the tension break as Anakin smiled. It made his eyes light up, face growing warm beneath the twisted scars. He couldn't help but note the missing fingers on his right hand, nor the mangled left one that still proudly wore his wedding ring.

Anakin, either oblivious to his quick look or else used to it, turned back toward Padme. “Is Obi-Wan coming today?”

“Ben isn't feeling well. He said he'd try to come visit soon, but that he'd definitely be here for Christmas.”

“Oh.” Anakin wasn't able to keep the disappointment from his voice.

Padme jumped as the timer went off. “Oh! That must be the turkey. I'll be right back.”

“I'll help,” Luke said, starting to follow.

“No, no, you stay and visit with your father. That's an order young man.”

“I'll help,” Leia said, giving Luke a pointed glare. He huffed and dropped into a chair, where he pulled out his phone and started texting, ignoring the others.

Anakin sighed and looked away. “Sorry about...”

“It's fine,” Bodhi said. He was searching for a topic to get the small talk going again when the security panel by the door chimed.

Anakin went to check it out, calling back a moment later, “hey! Anyone know a black SUV?”

Bodhi rushed over, smiling as he recognized Cassian's car. “Those are my friends.”

“Cassian?” Anakin asked, conferring with the guard. When Bodhi nodded, he told him to send him up. “Have them park wherever once they get up here.” He headed toward his office, not willing to be alone with Luke just yet.

“Thank you.” Bodhi went outside to wait. The cool breeze coming off the ocean felt nice; he was studying the roses planted around the fountain placed in the middle of the stone drive when he saw Cassian and Jyn drive up. He waved them forward, stepping back as they circled the fountain and parked. “Made it just fine, I see. Welcome.”

Jyn was smirking as she climbed out, her tight black dress making her look almost lethal. She scanned the front of the stone building, the exterior designed to look like an Italian villa. “I was almost expecting something bigger, seeing as the Princess grew up here.”

Bodhi shrugged. “Yeah, well, I think seven bedrooms is more than enough.”

Cassian said nothing as he locked the car and came to kiss him. Bodhi sighed and leaned in for more, relaxing into his grip.

Jyn cleared her throat. “I'd tell you to get a room, but it seems like they have plenty.”

Blushing, Bodhi pulled back, though he did catch Cassian's hand as he led them toward the house. “No embarrassing me in front of my friends please.”

“Be nice Jyn,” Cassian warned, though his voice did hold a playful edge as they stepped inside. He smoothed out a wrinkle on his white shirt before brushing lint from his black jacket, leaning in for another kiss. “I did miss you, though. We'll have to do something about that later.”

Bodhi blushed and ducked his head.

“Everything go okay Bodhi?” Anakin asked, exiting his office before Padme could yell at him for not greeting their guests immediately. He froze when he saw them, face darkening.

Bodhi was suddenly wary. He felt Cassian stiffen behind him, turning to see him tensing up, eyes glancing around for a place to run. Jyn never lost her smirk, though she was clearly waiting to see what Cassian was about to do. Gulping, Bodhi opened his mouth struggling to find his words. “You, ah—you two know each other?”

“We've met,” Cassian said, voice tense.

“Is that Cassian?” Padme called, hurrying in from the kitchen. She stopped in surprise, eyes widening as she saw Jyn. She broke into a grin. “Well, this is quite the surprise. It's been a long time. Hopefully you two have been keeping out of trouble.”

Jyn shrugged, eyes bright as she trained a smug expression on Cassian's back. “Of course not.”

Padme rolled her eyes and stepped forward to greet them properly. She hesitated as Anakin reached for her, hand gripping her wrist tightly. “Ani? Is everything okay?”

Anakin continued to stare Cassian down, eyes narrowing. “That remains to be seen, doesn't it?”


	13. Chapter 13

Cassian moved slowly until he could position himself in front of Bodhi, eyes never leaving Anakin. Bodhi could see the tension in his shoulders, as well a tic forming in his jaw. “I, ah, take it that you two know each other?”

“We've met,” Anakin said, glaring at Cassian. “Want to explain how you you came to know him?”

“Not really,” Bodhi muttered. He jumped as Padme smacked Anakin's shoulder.

“Anakin Skywalker! You knock it off right now. This is not happening, not today, not ever again. You can either act like a civilized human being or I'll divorce you.”

His eyes widened and he turned to face her, suddenly desperate. “Padme!”

“I mean it! We've spent far too much time with you missing from this family to start this shit again. I love you, but I will not tolerate any little thing that might jeopardize everything we've worked for. Now, I want everyone here to step into the office so we can discuss how we're going to get along as normal functioning adults!”

Bodhi had to bite back a laugh as she practically stomped her foot on the carpet, fists clenched tight enough that he thought she might break her nails. Anakin was floundering, reaching toward her.

They were interrupted by Leia clearing her throat; in the tension of the moment, no one had heard her come up. “Everything okay here?”

Padme turned, leveling a icy smile on her. “Everything is just fine, dear. Can you take Luke and go make sure the food is almost finished. We just have a few things to discuss in private. Thank you sweetie.”

Leia leveled them all with a stare as she walked away and Bodhi could suddenly see where she got her no nonsense attitude from. As soon as she walked away, Padme opened the door to Anakin's office and pointed toward the door. “All of you. In. Now.”

Anakin bristled as he walked past Cassian, moving to stand with his back to the window. Jyn slipped in next, sliding toward the left and positioning herself as far from Cassian as she could, smirk still in place. Bodhi tugged his arm gently, leaning against him as Padme closed the door and walked over to lean on the desk. She rubbed at her head, looking tired. “Speak. What is going on?”

“Why are they here?” Anakin asked, arms crossed over his chest.

“They are here because Bodhi is Luke and Leia's friend and had nowhere else to go today, so I invited him.”

“Bodhi I'm fine with. I was asking about...” He waved at the stiff Cassian, who had yet to take his eyes off him. Bodhi was reminded of an animal watching a predator, just waiting for a sudden move in order to defend himself.

“They're with Bodhi. If I had known there was going to be a problem, I would have said something. But when I mentioned their names you didn't react,” Padme accused.

“That's because I'd never heard those names before.”

“Well then, you can't get mad, now can you?” Padme stated, rolling her eyes.

“Mrs. Skywalker, you have a lovely home,” Jyn said, breaking the ice. She winked at Bodhi as Cassian sighed and moved toward her, eyes dark. “But you know, we didn't mean to cause a problem. If it would be better, we just go.”

“Absolutely not!” she exclaimed, turning to glare full on at Anakin. “My dear husband and I just need to speak privately for a moment, so if you'll excuse us...” She grabbed his arm and pulled him toward a door in the back.

Cassian was in Jyn's face before the door fully closed. “You knew? You knew where we were coming? And said nothing?!”

Jyn rolled her eyes and poked him in the chest. “If you had read what I gave you when you first started dating Bodhi you'd have known all of this by now. It's your own fault.”

Bodhi quickly intervened. “Please calm down you two. What's going on?”

“Our dear little Cassian here has a bit of a history with Skywalker. What was he called then? Lord Vader or something like that?”

Bodhi paled, remembering Luke's last documentary. “Oh shit.”

“Oh shit indeed. I take it you didn't know, Bodhi?” Jyn wagged her finger at him, laughing. “Gods, you're so innocent. It's kind of cute.”

“Not really,” he muttered. He touched Cassian gently on the shoulder. “We can leave right now, if you want. We don't have to stay here.”

Cassian sighed and closed his eyes. “It's fine. You should stay and have fun with your friends. And I'm staying to make sure you'll be okay.”

“I'll be fine. It's you I'm worried about. You look like you're about to break a tooth, with how hard you're clenching your jaw.” Bodhi brushed at his cheek, smiling slightly as Cassian pulled away with a blush. “Just go ahead and leave. I'll be fine.”

Jyn darted away as the door opened. Padme frowned, having overheard Bodhi's words. “I don't think that will be necessary, but if you do wish to leave Cassian, I'll understand. Though I think that things should be fine now. Right, Ani?”

Anakin nodded. “Yes dear. Though I would like to talk to Cassian in private for a moment, if that's okay?”

“Of course dear. I'll come get you two boys once the food is ready to be served.” She shooed Bodhi and Jyn ahead of her. Bodhi glanced back as they reached the door, worried. Cassian was once again frozen, eyes wide as Anakin stared him down. Padme closed the door and sighed. “It'll be alright. Ani won't do anything to cause a problem. We talked things over. Let's go finish setting the table, shall we? Give them a few minutes alone.”

Leia scowled as Jyn immediately went to lean over her shoulder. “And what do you want?”

“Leia,” Padme growled, corkscrew in hand. “I swear, you're just like your father.”

“Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment.” Leia pushed Jyn aside and carried the salad bowl to the table. “And you, make yourself useful for once and grab the rolls.”

“Anything for the princess,” Jyn said smirking. She grinned at Bodhi, biting back a laugh at Leia's huff of annoyance.

As they finished setting out the food, Padme was going around and filling the wine glasses, a forced smile on her face. Jyn sat down on Bodhi's left, directly across from Leia who was trying to ignore her. Luke rolled his eyes before sitting beside her across from Bodhi, He frowned at Jyn. “You look really familiar.”

“We met once. I dropped Bodhi off after his date with my brother. You were a bit preoccupied. I'm Jyn.” She gave him a sweet smile and held out her hand.

Luke smiled as he shook her hand, though Bodhi could see that he was still trying to puzzle something out.

Padme, still clearly agitated from before, set the turkey on the table as she glanced at the closed office door. “Let me go get your father and we can get started.” She was saved from having to move, the door opening and the two men stepping out.

There was a charge in the air as they approached the table. Anakin gestured for Cassian to take a seat, face unreadable as he sat beside Bodhi with his eyes downcast. Bodhi immediately reached for his hand, relieved when Cassian squeezed it back. Anakin kissed Padme on the cheek and moved toward the head of the table.

“Everything get sorted out?” Padme asked. Though her voice was light, there was an edge creeping into it.

“Cassian and I came to an understanding. Didn't we Cassian?”

“Yes sir.”

Padme frowned at him before moving toward her seat. “Good. Well, everything should be ready. How about we quickly say a few things we're all thankful for and then we can eat. Luke? Do you want to start?”

He rolled his eyes, reaching for his glass. “Not really, but I guess if I have to then I'm thankful for the fact that alcohol exists.” He jumped as Padme reached over and smacked his arm.

Leia shook her head, eyes closed tight. “I'm thankful that my brother is no longer the whiny little brat he used to be. Oh, wait, he's worse. Nevermind.” She snorted as she caught sight of Padme's face. “Fine, mother, I'll be serious. I'm thankful that we're all able to spend the day together, though I could do without one person being present.” She scowled as Jyn blew her a kiss.

“Well, I'm thankful for family and second chances,” Anakin said, reaching his shaking hand toward Leia. She squeezed it gently.

“For good public defenders,” Jyn said, toasting Padme with a wink.

“I'm happy to have found a family outside of my own,” Bodhi said, squeezing Cassian's hand tighter. “I appreciate each of you more than you'll ever know.”

Cassian glanced toward Bodhi before dropping his eyes again. “For Bodhi.”

Bodhi blushed as Jyn made a rude noise, muttering under her breath in a teasing manner “nice to know where I stand in all this.”

Padme smiled. “I thankful that we are all sitting here, healthy and happy, and I sincerely hope that this won't be the last time. So now that that's done, let's get started. Ani, did you want to carve the turkey?”

“Let's let Luke do it,” he said, reaching for the stuffing.

They all made small talk as they passed the food and started eating. Cassian was still fairly subdued, answering politely only when he was asked something directly. Bodhi nudged him softly with his shoulder, earning a quiet huff and a ghost of Cassian's normal glare.

“Hey Jyn. How'd you know my mom before today?” Luke asked, eyes staring her down as he picked at his potatoes.

Jyn smiled, holding his gaze without flinching. “I had a bit of legal trouble. Your mom has a soft spot for problem people, for which I'm grateful. She's helped me out a few times. Cassian, too, as a matter of fact.”

Padme shook her head at her, biting back a laugh. “You're a very smart girl, Jyn. If you'd just apply yourself a little bit harder you'd be fine.”

“But where's the fun in that?”

“What kind of trouble?” Luke asked, ignoring Padme's warning glare. “Mom usually only helps people with gang related charges.”

“She helps women with a variety of issues,” Jyn said, leaning back in her seat. “I met her when I was sixteen and facing assault charges. Then again for a resolution of marriage.”

“By the way,” Padme said, “don't ever be that stupid again. There were a lot of complications that I do not want to have to deal with again.”

Luke was frowning. “Wait, who were you married to?”

Bodhi found his hands freezing, utensils hovering over his plate. His face must have shown his thoughts; Luke's eyes widened as he turned to look at him.

“It was Cassian, wasn't it? I thought you two were related.”

“Luke, that's enough,” Padme started to say, pausing as Jyn held her hand up.

“It was. We grew up in foster care. Spent a lot of time together in the same group home. It's just easier to tell people we were related since we always treat each other like brother and sister. The whole marriage thing, that was definitely a mistake.”

Beside her Bodhi had gone cold. Her words were barely registering over the dull roaring in his ears. He flinched as Cassian rubbed his knee; he shifted away slightly, trying to avoid the looks he was receiving from both Cassian and Leia.

“We were horrible as lovers,” Cassian said to the table, though Bodhi felt him directing his words toward him specifically. “We fought nonstop, made each other miserable. We thought it would make things easier, since people assumed we were a couple anyway.”

“Worst year of my life. Never making that mistake again,” Jyn said, reaching for her glass. “I like Cassian much better as a brother than a husband.”

They were saved from further questions by the arrival of Han and Lando. While they were greeting everyone, Cassian turned toward him. “Bodhi...”

“Cass, it's fine. We'll talk about it later,” Bodhi murmured. He laughed quietly at the look on Cassian's face, leaning in close to peck him on the lips. “Not here, please. I'm fine.”

“Tonight,” Cassian said.

“Tonight. I'll come over after I get my car.”

Lando reached across the table as he sat down, offering his hand. “You must be Cassian. A pleasure to finally meet you. I'm Lando. And you are?” he asked, studying Jyn appraisingly.

“Jyn.”

“Just Jyn?”

She gave him a dangerous smile. “Exactly.”

He grinned. “I like you. You seem fun.”

Han nodded a greeting as he dropped into the chair next to Leia. He rolled his eyes as she scowled at him. “What?”

“Your tie is dirty.”

“Be glad I'm wearing one.” He glanced over at Anakin, who seemed determined to ignore everyone as he ate. “Besides,” he said, dropping his voice as he leaned in closer, “this is literally the only one I have left after that last game.”

“That's because you need to learn to cheat better if you want to beat me, Han my dear. I clearly won fair and square,” Lando said, offering to pour a glass of the wine he had brought for Padme. He smiled at Han, ignoring the glare sent his way.

“What game?” Anakin asked, eyebrow raised.

“You name it, if it's got cards, we play it. And Han always loses to me.”

“Not always.”

“You haven't won a game against me in almost three months. I told you what you can do to try and win back some of your things but you never listen.” Lando tilted his head. “You play poker, Mr. Skywalker?”

“Among other things. Maybe we could play a game or two after.” He cleared his throat as he caught sight of Padme's glare. “Just for fun of course, no bets or anything. Unless you want to watch the game. That should be starting soon.”

Han had perked up at the mention of the game only to deflate again when it seemed as if betting was going to be off the table. He jumped as he felt Jyn kick him under the table. “If you're looking to make a wager, I might be able to help you. Just a small friendly one at least.” She gave him her best feral smile as Han grinned back.

At the far end, Padme sighed yet again and gestured toward the remaining food. “If we could all just finish eating so we can get to the desserts, please. I'm clearly fighting a losing battle.”

Bodhi leaned against Cassian as talk around the table resumed. He took comfort in the hand that reached down to grip his, closing his eyes so he could avoid Luke's questioning gaze. He listened to the banter surrounding him, the laughter washing over him as he thought about how different this was from his own family. This felt real and natural. This felt like a home.

And he was beginning to feel more lost than he had ever been.

* * *

“You seem really down. Is everything okay Bodhi?” Padme asked as he helped her clean up. He could hear the sound of the others in the den, Han's loud groan of frustration drowning out the cheers.

He smiled and tried to pretend he was happier than he was. “I'm fine, really. Just a bit tired. Driving people around leads to weird hours.”

“Well, we can fix that soon. I have a secretary position opening up in a few months. I think you'd be perfect for it. Make sure you submit your application, that way we can have a record on file. But that's not the only thing that's got you acting like this. I know you well enough, Bodhi to know that something is wrong. You can talk to me. After all, you're practically family.”

Bodhi scrubbed at the dish he was holding. “My mother wants me to have lunch with her next week.”

“Oh does she,” Padme said, forcing her voice to remain neutral.

“She does. She's mad that I wouldn't come up to visit. I told her I couldn't due to work—I know, I know, I shouldn't have said that, but what was I supposed to say? I can't tell her I got fired! Instead, she thinks I'm working as Cassian's personal assistant and that I'm dating a girl named Dawn. Jyn even said she'd go with me and pretend to be my date. I just...I don't want to do this. I left home to get away from...everything, but I guess I can't ever get out of this, can I?”

“Oh Bodhi,” Padme said, pulling him into a hug. “I've always tried to be nice when it comes to your family and never say anything bad against them, but honestly, if they can't be proud of who you are, then they don't deserve you. You know you'll always be a part of ours, no matter what happens.” She released him, patting his cheek as she did. “And if Jyn says she's going to help you, she will. That girl is an amazing actress.”

“Thank you.”

“Although I would love to tell your mother exactly what I think of her,” Padme grumbled as she wiped the counter down.

Bodhi laughed and shook his head. He found himself smiling as Padme continued to complain. He caught sight of Cassian lingering in the doorway and stuck his tongue out at him. It pleased him to see Cassian's eyes light up, even as he glared back. He could make this work. Things would fall into place soon. He just had to make it through the week.

* * *

Leia was quiet on the drive home which suited Bodhi's needs just fine. He spent most of the drive with his phone off, trying to avoid the growing number of texts from Luke and plotting just how he was going to get his things out of Leia's condo without her trying to pick a fight over it. He found he had worried for nothing. Leia merely gave him a look before asking, “I take it you're going to be staying at Cassian's this weekend?”

“I might.”

She rolled her eyes. “I'm not going to stop you. You two obviously have a lot to discuss. But if things blow up, you can always come back here. You'll have have a place to stay, no matter what.”

He bit his lip, throat tight. “Thanks,” he managed, clearing his throat as he reached for his bags. “That means a lot.”

She pushed him towards the door. “Just go already. At least use a condom.”

“And the moments ruined.” He shook his head as he headed out. Traffic was still holiday light and he found himself arriving at Cassian's earlier than he expected. He waved to the guard as he scanned in, texting Cassian after he parked.

Bodhi felt a sense of peace as he came off the elevator, finding Cassian waiting for him in the hall. Without a word, Cassian took one of his bags and kissed him before leading him down the hall. He waited until the door was closed and locked to softly say “I missed you.”

Cassian set his bags aside and pulled him close. “ I'm sorry. I should have told you.”

“Cassian, it's fine. I already knew you and Jyn had a past. You'd obviously slept together.”

“I should have told you we had been married though. Jyn let me have it on our way back here.”

Bodhi pulled him into a tight hug. “Cass, it's okay. I kind of suspected something, it was just a bit shocking to hear it at the table like that. It doesn't bother me that you had a life before we met, nor does it bother me that you've been with women in the past.”

“It's bothered some men before.”

“Well they're just stupid. As long as it's just in the past, I don't see any reason to be upset. Though we will need to sit down someday and lay everything out. Or as much as you can safely tell me.”

“I don't cheat,” Cassian said, pulling back to stare into his eyes. “If I'm with someone, they become the only one.”

“Then I see no reason to worry. However, I am going to be facing a lot of questions from my friends later, which means you owe me.” He batted his eyelashes and leaned in close. “A good boyfriend would do anything to make up for something like this.”

“Would he?” Cassian asked, voice barely a whisper.

“He would. Like with home cooked meals and lots of snuggling. Maybe some chocolate. Or a Ferrari.”

“That might be possible.”

Bodhi smiled brightly. “Good. Now, I'd like to forget that everything outside of this place exists for a bit and just spend some quality time with my boyfriend. Think that's possible?”

Cassian brushed the back of his hand across his cheek before stepping back and reaching into his pocket. “I think that can be arranged. But I have something for you first.” He grabbed Bodhi's hand and pressed something metal into it.

“This...?”

Cassian picked up the bags and started up the stairs. “It a key to this place. Only three sets exist. You don't have to make a decision today, or even any time soon, but I want you to have it. Feel free to come over whenever you want. I get an alert every time you scan in at the gate so I'll know it's you coming over.”

Bodhi rolled the silver colored object over in his hand before hurrying up the stairs. “You are the best boyfriend ever.”

“Does this start to make up for before?” Cassian teased.

“It might.” Bodhi threw himself onto the bed and rolled onto his side. “I can think of something else that would help, too.”

Cassian's eyes darkened as his lips curled up. “I might have a few ideas that we can try out.”

“Best boyfriend ever,” Bodhi whispered as Cassian leaned in for a kiss, hands trailing toward his belt. Bodhi pulled him onto the bed, legs wrapping around his waist. There was no other place he wished to be, now or ever. He just wanted to hold on to this feeling forever. To have Cassian by his side no matter what the future may hold. He told himself that that wasn't asking too much.

If only he could believe it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back! Between computer and phone problems, everything was conspiring to keep this chapter from being written but I think I proved that I'm more stubborn.
> 
> So, yeah, awkward family dinner. Soon to be followed by an even more awkward family lunch. Bodhi might be needed stronger anxiety medication before it's all done. And Cassian really needs to learn to tell Bodhi things. I might have to beat it into him at some point.
> 
> Thanks for sticking around. I'll try and have the next chapter up soon as I can. Until then, may the force be with all of us.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight warning for the coming chapter. Bodhi gets teased (and bullied) by his brother about being gay. No slurs are used, just implications. It's confined to words. If anyone feels that the tags need to change because of this, please let me know and I'll take care of it as quickly as I can.
> 
> There is also a passing mention of a non-appearing character having an abortion. It's literally one sentence. Same rule as about applies.

Bodhi groaned as his phone vibrated for the fourth time in the last ten minutes. He shoved it off the bed and curled up into a tighter ball.

Beside him, Cassian started laughing. “You know, you could just answer it.”

“Fuck you. I'm not ready to deal with that shit from yesterday.” He heard Cassian hum and sighed. “It's just Luke. He's going to be a pain in the ass and I don't want to spend all day answering questions.”

“He's not going to stop until you do,” Cassian pointed out.

“And who's fucking fault is that?”

Bodhi suddenly found himself flipped over onto his back, shoulders pinned to the bed. He gulped as Cassian stared at him, face cold and unreadable. “I know I fucked up, but does that give you the right to act like a spoiled brat over it?”

“Yes. Besides, I think you'd like that chance to punish me.”

Cassian cracked a smile and rolled off him. “Maybe after lunch. What would you like?”

“To disappear completely off the face of the earth.”

Cassian shrugged as he got dressed. “I could get you a new identity if you really want one. Space travel is still outside of my reach.” He bent down and picked up Bodhi's phone, screen flashing with an incoming call. “And you should probably answer this one or you really will get no peace.”

Bodhi whined as he saw his mother's number, kicking his legs against the bed before grabbing the phone. “Hey, you're a big bad mafia guy. Can't you just kill me and end my suffering?”

Cassian kissed his forehead. “I don't give keys to people I plan on killing. Adds too many extra steps. Now be a good boy and answer your phone. I give you a reward later if you do.”

Bodhi sighed again and swiped his finger across the screen. “Hello mother.”

“Why did it take you so long to answer? What is going on?”

“Mum, I'm at work right now! Yes, yes, I'm working, not everyone gets today off.” He watched Cassian walk out of the room, wishing he had the nerve to just hang up and follow him. Maybe he could convince him to bend him over the table and fuck him until he forgot everything. He tried to clear the image from his head as his mother droned on and on, waiting for enough of a break to jump in and find out why she was calling.

“So are you still dating that little trollop? What was her name? Destiny? Diva?”

“Dawn, mother. And she's very nice.” Usually.

“Whatever, it still sounds like a strippers name. She's probably a gold-digger or something.”

“Mum. Dawn makes more money than I do. She was one of the founders of the company. She's a great business woman. And besides, what's wrong with working in a strip club? It's a legitimate job and the people who work in them are quite lovely. You are being very judgmental and unfair.”

“And how would you know any of this?”

“Because I have a lot of friends, mum. I talk to people. Speaking of talking,” he said, raising his voice to try and cut her off, “I have to go back soon so what did you call about.”

“Bodhi Rook, I didn't raise you to be be so rude.” You didn't raise me at all, Bodhi thought. His mother continued on, voice cold. “I called to tell you that we're planning to meet you for lunch at Madeline, Monday at one. I expect you and whatever her name is to be there. No excuses.”

He dropped his head onto his knees, fingers of his right hand pinching the bridge of his nose. “Yes mother. We'll be there. I have to go now, though.”

He heard her huff before the call disconnected. He started at the flashing light in the corner of his screen reminding him of Luke's messages. He pressed the power button and tossed his phone toward his pile of clothes. He rolled himself back up into the sheets and closed his eyes.

He heard Cassian's soft chuckle a while later, opening his eyes as the bed dipped slightly he climbed in beside him. “About what you expected?”

“She's making us go on Monday to a super expensive and exclusive place. There's a dress code and nothing I have will meet it, not after....” He sniffed, curling up tighter as he felt Cassian kiss his temple.

“Later, you can see if anything I have will fit you. And we can look into getting you a formal suit. It might come in handy.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

“You're my boyfriend, are you not?”

Bodhi giggled and rolled to hug his leg. “Stop trying to buy my affections. It makes me suspicious.”

Cassian pushed him away with a smile. “Here, eat your food. I have plans for you. I'll text Jyn the information. It'll be fine, you big baby.”

Bodhi sat up and gave him a look, eyebrow raised in a mock glare. Cassian just shoved the plate into his hands.

“Hurry up. I don't like to be kept waiting, Mr. Rook. After all, I believe I felt insulted earlier and a punishment might be in order.”

Bodhi bit off half the piece in one bite, ignoring Cassian's laugh. He had a something to look forward to and didn't feel like waiting.

* * *

The weekend had turned out nicer than Bodhi had hoped and he was reluctant to return to his crappy apartment Sunday night. He had off and on been texting Luke, only sending one text to ever five of his. Bodhi was quick to put the one bag Cassian had let him take away, along with a borrowed suit that cost more than he had in his account, before hurrying out the door and off to earn some money; he had arrived back while Luke was still out with Wedge and didn't plan to return home until as late as possible.

His plan was mostly a success, except for the fact that he had had to end his night early after an unfortunate incident with an intoxicated passenger that ended with Bodhi scrubbing out the interior of his car at two in the morning while parked at the back of a gas station. It took him what felt like forever to finally feel satisfied that the stain—and more importantly the smell—was gone. Making a note to replenish the stock of rubber gloves he kept in the emergency supply box in his trunk, he drove home. He sighed in relief when he heard Luke snoring from down the hall. R2 ran to rub against his legs before disappearing under the couch.

Bodhi quickly showered, sent a text to Cassian, and tried to make himself fall asleep. It took longer than he would have liked. Maybe it was just the stress of tomorrow, or the fact that his bed as tiny, or the mattress too lumpy.

Or maybe it was just that he no longer liked to sleep alone, having grown to love Cassian's presence by his side; his soft little breathes brushing against his skin, and his hair, unruly in his sleep, covering his eyes. He missed the way that Cassian would pull him in tight, locking his limbs around him as the night went on.

He rolled over, refusing to think about. No, it was definitely the stress. Nothing more.

Definitely the stress.

* * *

He staggered into the kitchen in the morning, hating the sun with a passion. He glared at Luke when he opened his mouth. Eyes rolling, Luke pointed him toward a chair and grabbed him a cup.

“Here. Drink this, wake up, and then answer my damn questions.”

Bodhi tried to look nonchalant as he sipped, looking anywhere but at his friend. “What questions?”

“Oh no you don't. I want to know everything. No more dodging me. Was your boyfriend married to his sister?”

“They're not siblings. They just say that to get people to leave them alone.”

“Not the point. Were they married?”

Bodhi set the cup down, keeping his hands wrapped around it. “Yes, they were. Cassian told me a little bit about it yesterday. Apparently Jyn ran into some kind of problem and they thought that by getting married they could fix it. It didn't work and so they ended it. And before you ask, I don't know what the problem was.”

“Was it related to her assault charges? The one where she almost killed a man?”

Sighing, he leaned back in his chair. “You've been talking to Leia, haven't you?”

“Bodhi, what is going on? It's obvious that you didn't know any of this before a few days ago.”  
Luke scowled at him. “Are you sure that whatever they had is over? The two of them seem pretty close.”

“Yes, Luke, it's fine. Cassian wouldn't cheat on me.”

“Really?” Luke raised an eyebrow. “What reason do you have to trust him?”

“My own reasons. And I want to drop this.”

“Fine,” Luke huffed. “I won't ask about them. For now. But do you care to explain just how your hot guy knows my dad?”

“First, Cassian is not just my 'hot guy'. He's my boyfriend. And second, I don't know. He said he couldn't tell me that.”

Luke crossed his arms over his chest. “Dad said the same thing. And Leia won't tell me even though I'm sure she knows.” He pouted for a moment before shaking his head. “I'll have to ask around.”

“Luke, please don't do that. It's probably nothing.” Bodhi rolled his eyes as Luke snorted. “Look, I can't stop you from whatever you plan to do, but I'm asking as your friend to please leave this alone. Now, thank you for the coffee, but I need to go get ready for what might be the worst day of my life.”

Luke perked up, eyebrows rising into his hairline. “Where are you going?”

“My mother wants to have lunch with me and I have been given no choice but to go.”

Luke whistled as he followed him into his room. “Harsh man. Want me to break a leg so you can say you had to take me to the emergency room instead? I'd be willing to do it,” he said as he flopped onto Bodhi's bed, phone in hand as he furiously typed.

Bodhi laughed. “I appreciate the thought but no. Even that wouldn't help.” He pulled out the suit and held it up, watching as Luke's eyes widened.

“Dude...is that Armani? Where did you get it?”

“'Hot guy' lent it to me. It fits well enough that I think I can pull off the dress code today. I've lost more weight than I was expecting lately.”

“Dude, it's because you barely eat anything.” Luke sat up, pulling at a loose thread hanging from Bodhi's pillow. “So...you know my lease ends next month.”

“I do.”

“Well, Wedge and I have been talking for a while and we want to move in together. Like, at the start of the year. We were thinking that we could look for a bigger place, if you wanted to move in with us. Or Leia said she could clear out her office and you could live there—”

“Luke, it's fine,” Bodhi said, focusing on buttoning the shirt. “Move in with Wedge. Go have fun. I'll figure something out.”

“I just don't want to leave you with a problem.”

“You aren't. You told me months ago that this was a possibility. I'll be fine. I have some options still. So please stop worrying about me. Okay?”

Luke sighed and flopped backwards again. “You're moving in with hot guy aren't you?”

“It's an option,” Bodhi said, concentrating on tying the tie properly. “He gave me a key the other day but we haven't officially talked about anything yet.”

“Aren't you two moving kind of fast?”

“Says the guy that told me that he wanted to marry the stranger he slept with after only knowing him a few hours.”

“I wasn't serious,” Luke muttered, blushing slightly. “You know you can't hold me to anything I say while I'm drunk.”

“That is a lie, my good sir. Now how do I look?”

Luke glanced over, eyes widening. He wolf-whistled before he lifted his phone and took a picture.

“I'll take that as a compliment.” Bodhi glanced into his mirror, nervously smoothing at his hair. “Should I have cut it?”

“Is your mom going to hate it? And does hot guy like it?”

“Yes and yes.”

“Then definitely leave it long. Dude, you look amazing.”

Bodhi grinned, slightly embarrassed. It faded quickly as he shakily reached for his wallet and keys. He jumped when he felt Luke's hand on his arm.

“Hey. You'll be fine. Remember what you used to tell me in college, whenever I'd start to get lost in my head?”

“That no matter what, I'd always be there to lend you a hand.”

“Well, I'm saying it now.”

“But you've been lending me a hand. All of you have.”

Luke shrugged. “That's what a real family should do.”

Bodhi smiled, nodding his head. He felt a real sense of relief wash over him. “Thanks.”

“Anytime man. Go piss the old witch off. Make me proud.”

Bodhi snorted as he headed for the front door. He missed the look Luke shot his way as he continued to search on his phone for any information he could find about one Cassian Andor.

* * *

Jyn was already approaching his car before he could fully park in front of her building, dressed in a flowing black knee length dress with white daisies embroidered around the hem. Bodhi's eyebrows went up as she settled in beside him. “Are you wearing perfume?”

“Sometimes it's nice to dress up like a normal girl.”

“Oh? Who told you you aren't a normal girl?”

Jyn snorted. “Why look at you, trying to earn brownie points. How cute. So, how are we playing this today? What's the plan?”

Bodhi was quiet as he drove onto the freeway. “I don't even know where to start.”

“Alright, how about how we met? Was it at work or did we meet before that and I recruited you? Have we been together long? Do we live together? Have we slept together yet?”

“Eww.” He flinched as she smacked his shoulder. Sighing, he merged past a truck. “I don't know. Maybe we met at work? Like, it just sort of happened?”

“Okay. How long?”

“Let's keep it simple. What it's been, a month since we met?”

Jyn nodded and settled back in her seat. “That's actually a good idea. It would be easier to explain if we don't know something if we've just started dating. But isn't it a bit soon to be taking your girlfriend to met your parents?”

“Not for my mum. When she orders something, you do it. Or else.”

Jyn hummed. “This could be fun.”

“It really won't. And I owe you big time for this,” he said as he exited, turning toward the heart of downtown.

“So, obviously not living or sleeping together. That's easy, then. What about accent? What's my background?”

“Geez, I don't know! Does it matter?”

Jyn leveled a look at him. “It does. Unless you want her to know who I really am, we have to make sure neither of us slip up.”

“This is never going to work!” Bodhi cried as he waited to turn into the hotel driveway.

“Yes it will. Look, here's how we'll play it. Local accent, I grew up in the city, my family has all moved away so it would be hard for them to meet your family. I have a masters in business and computer science. We can play the rest by ear, okay?”

“Okay,” Bodhi whispered as he pulled up to the valet.

Jyn gripped his hand before they got out. “I've got your back. And Cassian is waiting to comfort you after. You'll do great.”

Bodhi said nothing as he handed over the keys and led Jyn inside. She cleared her throat and he held out his arm. “Good boy. I'll train you properly yet.”

“It doesn't sound as nice as when Cassian says it. In fact, when you do it makes me want to stick my tongue out.”

Jyn rolled her eyes at him as they reached the elevator. “Never been here before.”

“I have and I hate it. It's my mum's favorite place to go, though, when she wants to punish me.”

Jyn raised an eyebrow but stayed silent as Bodhi punched in the floor number. Just before their floor, she brushed at her hair, shaking off her confident stance. Bodhi watched in wonder as she suddenly became this shy person, nervously looking around as the elevator opened into a terraced lobby. He led her toward the doors to the patio and the waiting restaurant.

The maitre' d greeted them in a combination of French and English. “Bon jour. Welcome. Do we have a reservation?”

“Yes. We should be part of the Rook party. I was told they had a reservation for one.”

“Yes sir. I have it right here. And your names would be?”

“Bodhi. And Dawn,” he added, hoping his mother had actually gotten Jyn's fake name right for once.

“Thank sir. Allow me to have someone escort you to the room. You'll find the others waiting for you.”

“Room?” Jyn whispered to him as a hostess in a tight black dress led them toward the back.

He sighed. “My mother does not like to do things the normal way.”

Jyn patted his arm.

The hostess opened the door and gestured for them to step in. “I'll have someone come right away to take your drink orders.”

Bodhi squared his shoulders as his mother stood up and glared at him from across the table. “Hello mother. Father.” He slowly walked over and kissed her cheek. He nodded to his father, who raised a hand but continued to study something on his phone. “Mother, this is Dawn. My girlfriend.”

“Mrs. Rook, it's an honor to meet you. Bodhi has told me so many things about you,” Jyn said as she hurried over, hand held out. She stomped on Bodhi's foot when he snorted at her words.

“Yes, well, I'm afraid that he's told me nothing about you,” Mrs. Rook said, eyes narrowing.

“Well, I'm only a little surprised. Bodhi and I have only been dating for about a month.”

“Well, he never even told me he had changed jobs,” she said, leveling a cold stare at him.

“I'm sure it's just because he didn't want you to worry. We recruited Bodhi right at the start of our business, so things were pretty unsteady at first. But we're doing so much better now, aren't we.”

“Definitely,” Bodhi muttered, frowning at the table. “Mum, why are there five place settings?”

“Your brother came with us. Didn't I tell you?” Mrs. Rook said as she settled back into her chair.

Bodhi's eyes widened. “You did not. You did that on purpose!”

“Watch your tone, young man,” his father said, looking up for the first time. “I'm sure it just slipped her mind.”

“Are you implying that I becoming forgetful?” Mrs. Rook asked, an edge to her voice as she glared at her husband.

Mr. Rook smiled serenely. “Those are your words, my love. I would never be so crass as to say them out loud.”

Jyn was biting back a laugh when the door opened again and a taller and more muscular version of Bodhi entered. “Well, if it isn't the black sheep, back to grace us with his presence. What'd you do wrong this time, eh Boogie?”

Bodhi clenched his teeth. “Dawn, this is my older brother, Benjamin. Benji, this is Dawn, my girlfriend. Feel free to ignore him,” he said to Jyn as he pulled out her chair. “Also, my mum and dad, Patricia and Walden.”

“You can just call me Wal,” Bodhi's father said, smiling as he slipped his phone away. “And in case you're wondering why Bodhi has such a different name, it's because it's an old family name. It gets used every few generations.”

Jyn smiled and settled in. Bodhi dropped into his chair, signally to the waiter that had followed his brother in. “Something with a strong alcohol content, as soon as you can please.”

“Of course, sir. And for you, miss?”

“Oh, I'll just have a cup of tea, please.”

“Do you not drink, Dawn?” Walden asked.

“I do, but not usually during the day.”

“Well, this is a special occasion. Can you bring our usual?”

“Yes sir,” the waiter said. “Five glasses?”

“Yes. Also, I'm sure my wife will want her usual cup of tea. Benj?”

“Gin. Neat.” Benjamin grinned at Bodhi as the waiter left. “So, Boogie, got yourself a little girlfriend? When did this happen? Have you ever told her about all the cocks you used to suck at school?”

“Ben, please,” Mrs. Rook muttered, brushing imaginary lint from the table. “Della, was it?”

“Dawn, Mrs. Rook.”

“Yes, well. What does your company do exactly?”

“Well,” Jyn said, leaning forward eagerly, her eyes bright and cheerful. “We're an investigative firm, really. We do data monitoring, video surveillance, tracking. Our hourly rates start at three hundred and go up, depending on what your needs are.”

“So you're a private investigator?” Walden asked, looking intrigued.

“I guess you could call us that,” Jyn said with a laugh. “We mostly work with corporations right now, though we have had a few law firms contact us recently. With luck, we can start expanding soon.”

Bodhi had to admit, she was a great actress. He handed the waiter a handful of bills when he gave him his drink. “Make sure this is never empty please.” The waiter nodded and tucked the money into his pocket. It had taken Bodhi most of the night before to earn that money, but he knew it was going to be well spent if he wanted to make it through this day.

His mother sneered at Jyn. “Well, it's a no wonder that Bodhi never told us about this. It clearly seems as if you've gone down in your career, young man. What were you thinking?”

Benjamin lifted his glass of gin, saluting Bodhi. “Maybe Boogie had his reasons. Maybe he was looking for some new blood to fuck. Or maybe there was a more pressing reason. Maybe he didn't have a choice.”

Bodhi's head whipped to the left, past Jyn to stare at his brother who gave him a knowing smirk. Fuck, he thought, he knows something.

Mrs. Rook was frowning at them both. “Benjamin, please watch your language.”

“Sorry, mummy.” He continued to smirk at Bodhi.

“Are we ready to order?” The waiter asked, moving towards Bodhi's father as if nothing was being said around him.

“Yes, the usual please. Dawn, feel free to order anything you'd like add. We usually go with the prix fixe menu.”

“That's sounds wonderful, Mr. Rook. I wouldn't want to impose.”

Bodhi flagged the waiter down. “I'll have whatever vegan option you have. Or anything that hasn't come within a hundred yards of a fish product.”

“Yes sir. I'll make sure our chef is aware of your concern. And I'll have another drink brought to you right away.”

“Oh, Bodhi, I wish you wouldn't drink,” his mother scolded.

“I'm a full grown adult, mother. I can make my own choices.”

“I'm aware of that,” she said with a sigh, “but I do wish you'd make better ones.”

“And what would those be?” he huffed, arms crossing over his chest.

“Like maybe not lying about getting fired,” Ben said, tilting his chair back.

Jyn put her hand on his leg to stop him to try and steady him, but it wasn't necessary. Bodhi had frozen in place.

“So it is true? Oh Bodhi, why have you been lying to me all this time?” his mother wailed. “What have you been up to, if you've been without a job? How could you do this to me?”

Bodhi gulped and glanced at Ben.

Ben drained his glass, smirking. “You forgot that I'm friends with Collins didn't you. He told me what happened. Sleeping with your boss, weren't you? Got yourself fired and lost everything. And that wasn't the only time was it? Whose the blond guy you're always hanging out with? And don't try and deny it, I have lots of pictures that I'm sure you 'girlfriend' would love to see. How much is he paying you to be here?”

“Bodhi,” his mother said, “I think we need to talk alone, so if your friend here would be willing to step outside....”

Bodhi jumped to his feet. “There is nothing to talk about! I did not come here to be attacked again!”

Walden slammed his fist on to the table, making the settings rattle. “Everyone calm down and let's discuss this like normal functioning adults. Can we at least pretend to be that civilized for five minutes?”

Bodhi was struggling to control his breathing, slowly returning to his chair.

“Now, first, who is the blond?”

“My roommate, Luke. You've met him before.”

Benjamin was still grinning. “How much head do you have to give in order to get your rent for free?”

“We're not dating,” Bodhi said through clenched teeth. “I do have a job, so I pay actual money for my room. And yes, I did get fired, but it was a setup, not what Ben is trying to make it seem like. Dawn helped me get my current job, for which I'm very grateful.”

“And are you two dating?” his mother asked.

“Yes,” Bodhi muttered.

“Really?” Ben said as he scrolled through his phone before holding it out. “Then who is this? Because according to Chet, you two were clearly on a date.”

Bodhi took the phone, hand shaking as he expected to see a picture of him and Cassian together someplace. Instead, he saw a picture of himself and Hobbie at a tiny table for two, one plate of food between them.

“Didn't you two leave together?”

“Bodhi? Is this true? Are you still in your little phase?”

Bodhi rubbed at his forehead, feeling a headache forming. “It is not a phase, mother, so stop calling it that. You know what, no, Dawn and I aren't dating. I lied about that. Yes, I am gay, okay? I date men. Don't bother to look all surprised mother, you just refused to admit it!” he yelled as she turned a shocked face towards him. “I've only hid who I was around you because I was sick of you telling me I was a disappointment! Yes, you did! I was never as strong as Ben, nor as athletic. You had our lives planned out for us, but you never asked us what we wanted. You, with your ideas about what we'd do and who we'd marry. Well, I'm sorry that I never became the surgeon you imagined or married a model and had three kids! But you know what? I'm fucking happy! I'm happy, even if nothing is going right right now! And I'm not going to pretend to be something else for you anymore!”

He stood up, turning toward his brother. “And you can just go fuck off! You think I have nothing on you? Didn't you pay your girlfriend in college to have an abortion? And how many drunk driving charges have you bought your way out of?”

Ben's smile never dropped. “At least I've never pretended to be something I'm not. Boogie.”

Bodhi growled. “Quit calling me that!” He threw Ben's phone as hard as he could at his face.

Ben dodged it, face contorting in anger as it broke when it hit the ground. “You little shit, I'll kill you for that.” He lunged toward Bodhi, fist hitting him hard in his left eye.

Bodhi stumbled back, raising his hands to block the next hit when Jyn darted in front of him. He could hear both his parents yelling for them to stop as Jyn caught Ben's wrist in one hand. Her face was cold as she twisted his arm out and down, making his yell as she kicked his leg out from underneath him.

“That's enough! Both of you stop this at once!” Walden yelled, face bright red.

Bodhi pressed his hand into his rapidly swelling eye. “Fuck all of you. I hate this family.” He stormed out, hurrying through the restaurant and out onto the terrace. He took the stairs down to the next level, fighting to hold back tears. He was worrying about just how mad Jyn would be with him for leaving when his father caught up with him.

“Over here. We need to talk.” He steered him toward a seating area hidden in a corner. “Now, do you want to tell me what just happened?”

“Does it matter? It's not like anyone cares what I want or think anyway.”

Walden sighed and leaned back, eyes closed. “That is a fair point. Let me start then. I've known since you were little, Bodhi, that you were different. And it has nothing to do with being gay. That is a part of you that I wish I had encouraged you to be proud of since day one. But you know how your mother is. Everything has to be her way all the time. No exceptions. No, I knew you were different in that you saw things in ways that no one else did. You were so smart and observant. I knew that no matter what you did in life, you'd succeed at it.” He opened his eyes to glare at him when Bodhi snorted. “It's true, you brat. So things haven't worked out yet. You're still young. Failure is not necessarily a bad thing, not if you learn from it. Now, want to tell me the real reason you got fire?”

“They blamed me for some embezzlement that had been occurring.”

“And did you have anything to do with it?”

Bodhi shook his head. “No, but the guy that did was someone whose family held a lot of power with the company. And since we were dating...”

“You took the fall. Can you prove it?”

“It'd be hard. By the time I knew what was happening it was too late.”

Walden nodded. “And was he your supervisor?”

“No. I'm not that stupid.”

“That's my son.” Walden smiled at him. “You know, I never wanted to send you to that stupid boarding school. I went there myself and hated it. Benji on the other hand, I would gladly have sent to a year round one. That boy is a total prick. Too bad your mother loves him, but we should know by now that she has pretty bad taste in things.”

Bodhi giggled.

“There we go,” Walden said, smiling. “I like you better when you're happy. Now tell me, are you dating anyone? For real?”

“Yes.”

“And does he treat you right?”

“He's been great.”

“Good. I can see that you don't want to talk about it right now, so I'll stop asking. You know that your mom and I did not marry for love and look what that got us. Just make sure you're happy in anything you do. Now, how are you for money? I notice that you've never touched that emergency fund I set up for you.”

“I'm fine dad. Really.”

Walden rolled his eyes. “Still a stubborn little shit. Alright. Shall we go back? Before that girl kills your brother. Who is she anyway?”

“A very good friend,” Bodhi said, following his father toward the elevator. “I like her a lot.”

“I do too. I think she broke your brother's wrist. Self defense, really.”

Bodhi was laughing as they came back into the room. Jyn looked him over before coming to hug him. “Alright?”

“Alright. Thank you.”

She stuck her chin out at him. “You owe me.”

“Anything you want.”

“I'm going to hold you to that.”

They pulled apart as his mother cleared her throat. “Bodhi, please sit down so we can talk.”

He glanced at Benjamin who was sulking in his seat, clutching his wrist.

“Bodhi. Please?”

He settled in, eyes downcast.

“Bodhi, I'm so sorry that you feel like I've been to hard on you.” She smiled slightly as his eyes snapped up to meet her gaze. “Dawn talked to us while you were gone. I just wanted what was best for you.”

“No, you wanted what was best for you. My feelings never mattered.”

His mother swallowed before nodding. “There may be a small truth in that, maybe. But still. Bodhi, if you had just told me what you wanted, I would have supported you. And being gay, why, there's nothing wrong with that!”

Bodhi raised an eyebrow. “Who are you and what have you done with my mother?”

“Oh Bodhi, don't be a brat. I'm serious. If you had told me the truth, I wouldn't have pressured you so much. I never meant to drive you away.”

“Do you mean that?”

“Yes, love, I do.”

Bodhi felt a weight come off him for the first time in years. “I'm sorry too. It's just, anytime I tried to bring it up, you changed the subject. That made me feel like I couldn't talk to you about anything.”

“Well, I can't say that I understand, but I will try. I want to try for you.”

Bodhi nodded.

Walden gestured toward the waiter hiding in the doorway. “This is as family-like as we're going to get, so bring the food quick. And some ice for my sons please.”

Jyn smiled at Benjamin. “You should definitely ice that, and maybe wrap it, before it swells up anymore.”

“I'm fine,” he said, teeth grinding together. “It's just a bruise.”

“Sure thing, doll. I'd still ice it.”

“So now that we've all had our chance to work out some frustrations, what say we have a normal conversation.”

Mrs. Rook rolled her eyes as the food was served. She turned toward Bodhi, eyes bright. “Bodhi, I think I know the perfect person for you. His name is Holden. He passed the bar last year, so he's got a good career ahead of him. And he would love to settle down and start a family!”

“Mum,” Bodhi warned, glaring at her while Jyn giggled beside him.

“Oh, but you two would be adorable together! And you could adopt the cutest kids. Just think, your brother's getting married next year and it would be wonderful if you attended with a partner.”

“Mother.”

“I'll send you his number later, you two can call each other. Of course, it would be hard to have a relationship that works over such a long distance. But I'm sure we can find you a job closer to home. Wouldn't that be great!”

“Gah!”

“You're fighting a losing battle, son. Just roll with it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter. It was at once the hardest and the easiest chapter to write. The family fight is something that's been floating around in my head for a long time and while I'm satisfied with it, I might return and edit it later after the story is finished (we'll see how I'm feeling about it by the end).
> 
> We'll get to see a bit more of the Rooks at the start of the next chapter, just because I don't want to leave them in such a tense state. This might be a mob story, but I would like it to have a happy ending.
> 
> Get ready for some sweet fluffy times coming before things get dark again. I think Bodhi deserves a break (plus I like the idea of Cassian spoiling him). Happy reading everyone! I appreciate all of you more than I can say.


	15. Chapter 15

For the most part, everyone was silent as the meal began. Bodhi kept his head down, picking at his quinoa salad. He had given up on the ice, accepting the fact that his eye was going to be black for the time being. With luck, it wouldn't swell shut—as it had when he was twelve and had dared tried to fight back against Benjamin, a lesson he was apparently never going to learn.

“Need a hand there, son?” Walden asked, trying and failing to hide his smirk as Ben struggled to eat with his non dominant hand. He fought to hold back his laugh at the glare he received. He turned toward Jyn, gesturing with his fork toward Bodhi. “So, Dawn. While I'm sure my lovely wife will tell me in excruciating detail everything you two discussed once you are gone, I'd much rather hear your version.”

Jyn glanced toward Bodhi as both he and his mother huffed, giggling over how similar they were (and if she was going to tease him about it later, he was going to tease her about that laugh). “We didn't talk about much,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “I just merely pointed out how much Bodhi loves his family and how he just wanted everyone to be proud of him. That was the only reason he lied, really.”

Walden hummed and sipped at his wine. “And you obviously know a lot about him. What motivated you to lie for him? Just curious, really. About how much you and Bodhi have discussed.”

Jyn carefully folded her napkin, looking up to meet Walden's eyes. “Bodhi is a very private person. He told me that growing up, family was very important to him. He said that he didn't want to be seen as a disappointment, just because of a few setbacks. Personally, I don't see him as one. I see a caring person, a great friend, and someone with more courage than most. I don't like seeing my friends be unhappy just as much as I don't like seeing them lie about themselves. While I'm glad the truth is finally out, I don't regret my actions. The fact that Bodhi went to such lengths to lie tells me just how much your approval means to him.”

“And is your family in on any of this?”

“My family doesn't care enough about me to keep in touch,” she said, voice dry as she folded her hands under her chin.

Walden nodded and poured her another glass. “A shame really. They're certainly missing out. I'll ask one more personal question and then we'll be done so that Bodhi can stop scowling at me. What's your current relationship status?”

“Divorced,” Jyn said with a grin. “It was mutual. He and I decided we just weren't compatible and went our separate ways. He got the car but I got the house.”

Bodhi's father stared her down before laughing. “Oh I really do like this one. Well, let's finish up this sordid affair and get back to our lives. Bodhi, if you screw up this friendship I'm disowning you.”

Bodhi rolled his eyes. That threat had stopped scaring him when he was ten and he had realized his father never followed through when he said things like that, else Benjamin would be in real trouble by now. He shifted away from Jyn, who kept poking at his leg, wondering if he'd last through dessert. While things seemed to have settled down, he just wanted to leave and find someplace to unwind, preferably someplace private with only Cassian nearby....

“Bodhi, won't you at least try the fish? They really do cook it perfect here,” his mother asked, pointedly ignoring her husband as he shook his head.

“No thank you, mother, and for the last time I'm allergic to fish.”

“Just because you were a picky eater as a child is no reason to continue to be so as an adult,” she admonished, giving him a disapproving stare.

Bodhi wondered just how big of fight he could start by pulling out his phone. He also wondered if he cared anymore.

* * *

Dessert had mercifully passed quickly, his mother dominating the conversation as she told them all the gossip that she had been gathering about their family and friends. The only one that seemed genuinely interested was Jyn, who asked just enough questions to keep Patricia going. Bodhi wanted to be concerned, but what did it truly matter if she found out that the youngest Lark girl had run off to be a Broadway star. He let out a happy sigh as his father called for the check, ready to run away forever and never return.

His mother stiffly exchanged a handshake with Jyn before tilting her head for him to kiss her cheek. “I'll send you that information later. I have some pictures as well.”

“Mum. Absolutely not. I'm being very serious about this so please don't do this.”

“But I just want you to be happy!” she started before Walden hushed her.

“He'll be fine. Just leave him alone for a bit. Bodhi, remember what we talked about. Use it anytime you need to.” He leaned in close, whispering “and I'll change your number in your mother's phone if that'll help.”

“Yes please,” Bodhi said, hugging his father quickly. “I'm fine though.”

“Try to come visit next year at least. Come meet your first nephew once he's born.”

Bodhi tried his best to ignore Benjamin lurking in the background, face pale as he pretended everything was fine. How anyone was willing to marry him was beyond him. “We'll see.”

Once they reached the lobby, he handed Jyn the ticket for the valet and collapsed into a chair, eyes squeezed shut. He was exhausted and whined when he felt her kick his shoe. “Up, lazy butt. Time to go see your sweetheart.”

“Please drop the act,” he muttered as he climbed into the passenger seat. He frowned when he saw his face. “Fuck...Cassian is going to be pissed.”

“Of course he will be. Your brother won't stand a chance.”

“Please don't joke about that.”

“Who says I'm joking?” She drove off quickly, paying little attention to the traffic around her.

Bodhi rolled his head to face her. “Did you really break his wrist?”

Jyn snorted. “I wish, but I'm not stupid enough to do that, even if he deserved it. No, it's just a really bad sprain.”

“Better hope he doesn't decide to press charges,” he warned, trying not to smile.

“He's too misogynistic to admit that he got his ass handed to him by a girl.” Jyn gave him a wild grin as she sped onto the freeway. “No one hurts one of our own without answering for it. Remember that.”

“So I'm one of the gang now?”

“Nope. You're family. That's even more important.”

Bodhi fell silent, eyes closing as the road raced past them. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

* * *

Cassian met them at the door, face unreadable. His eyes, devoid of expression, lingered on Bodhi's growing bruise before he stepped aside. The fact that he had already schooled his reaction told Bodhi that at some point Jyn must have told him what had happened. He had a sneaking suspicion that she must have texted him while they were driving (and if her driving didn't scare him enough before, he was now terrified to let her behind the wheel again).

Jyn set Bodhi's keys on the table, crossing her arms across her chest. “I've got a few things that need my attention. We can talk later.”

Cassian nodded. “I'll tell you what I decide later. Take my car. Have someone bring it back later.”

Jyn nodded and waved at Bodhi. “Always a pleasure. Thank you for quite an entertaining day. Let's meet for lunch this week.” With a wink, she was out the door.

Bodhi stood facing Cassian, waiting. It didn't take him long to sigh and wrap his arms around him, hand brushing softly across his cheek. “I'm going to kill him.”

“Please don't. This wasn't the first time but it will be the last. I don't plan to see them again, not if I can help it. Besides, I think Jyn punished him enough.”

“Not nearly and she knows it.” Cassian pulled back, though he kept his hands resting on Bodhi's hips. “Is that really what you want? For me to do nothing?”

“I'd prefer it. I'd like to not give him fodder to make more problems in my life.”

“Bodhi, I do know people,” Cassian huffed. “There won't be a problem.”

“Yes yes yes, you're a big scary mafia person with lots of connections. I'm well aware of that. But for now,” he said, leaning in for a kiss. “For now, can we please just forget any of this happened?”

Cassian's hand cupped the back of his head and pulled him in for a deeper kiss. “I don't like my things messed with.”

Bodhi hummed, wrapping his arms around his neck. “Except I'm not a thing, now am I.”

Cassian pressed their foreheads together. “No you're not.” He kissed him softly again, lips lingering before he slowly released him. “You're mine. My Bodhi.”

Bodhi shivered. “All yours.”

Cassian's eyes were hooded. “I want you to be here when I come home. I want to know that you are waiting for me and me alone.”

Bodhi met his eyes without blinking. “Would I still be allowed out on my own? To have my own friends? A job? Or would I have to seek your permission for everything I do?”

Cassian was a long time in answering. He slowly closed the gap between them, hands catching Bodhi's wrists in a tight grip. “I don't own you. I don't think I ever could. Nor is that what I want. There's a difference between the two.”

“Then what do you want?” Bodhi asked, voice soft.

“Do you trust me?”

“I do.” There was no hesitation in his voice, his words strong and true.

Cassian nodded. “I want you to stay. To come and go as you please, but to return to me always. I want you to stay and be mine, for as long as you are willing to be. I want you to feel safe here, able to live your life and not worry about anything. I want to prove that I'll never hurt you, if you'll give me that chance. And yes, I want you to belong to me and only me, but I want it to be your choice. No one else is allowed to hurt you, for any reason. I love you.”

Bodhi's breath caught in his throat. He gulped softly, mouth opening and closing before he could find his words. “If I stay...if I'm going to be yours...I still need some independence. I need to know that I don't have to answer for my every move. If I want to spend a night with my friends, you can't get mad about it. And my family has to be off limits—always—unless I say otherwise. If you can promise me this, and that we'll talk over any issues that pop up like normal human beings, then I'll be yours until you want to move on. I won't hold you to forever.”

“I promise,” Cassian said. “As much as I can.”

Bodhi smiled sadly. “It's all or nothing. Not if you want more. Because if you can't promise this, then things stay as they are. They stay casual. I'm not property.”

“I never thought you were.” Cassian brushed at his cheek. “You are my Bodhi. I wouldn't expect anything less.”

“Then what's your answer?” Bodhi asked, voice breathless.

“I promise.”

Bodhi smiled, shoulders relaxing. “Then I'll stay. I'll be yours. Only...?”

“Yes?”

He bit his lip. “Did you mean it? What you said? Before?”

Cassian leaned in close, lips hovering over his. “I did. I do. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

They kept the kiss gentle as they slowly edged toward the stairs. Cassian reluctantly let him go as they reached the base, eyebrows raised, waiting for an answer. Bodhi nipped at his lip and started to climb. He laughed as Cassian crowded close behind him, hand tangling with his. For the first time in too long, he felt good about what he was doing, even as the little voice in the back of his head was yelling at him to slow down. He was sick of that voice. For now, he just wanted to hold onto this glow for as long as possible. Just once, he wanted to be happy with his choice.

* * *

It was late the next morning before they finally got up, reluctant to leave the comfort of the bed but knowing that the quicker they did what needed to be done today the quicker they could return. Bodhi whined about it as he dressed in one of Cassian's t-shirts, ignoring his own neatly folded clothes tucked into their drawers in the closet (that was something to think about later, when he had the time to focus past the fluttering feeling in his chest). Cassian said nothing, though his eyes did darken as he pulled him in for a kiss.

At the car, Cassian pulled Bodhi's keys from his hand, saying nothing as he climbed into the driver's seat. Bodhi settled in beside him. “You know, just because I moved in doesn't mean you get to boss me around.”

“You had a long day yesterday. Just let me drive for now.”

“Yes Captain.” Bodhi grinned as Cassian gave him a warning look. “So, since I 'belong' to you now, should we be discussing things such as safe words?” he teased.

Cassian shrugged. “Might be a good idea.”

“Cassian, I'm joking! I think we can get by with just a simple stop if things go too far.”

“We can, but I'd still feel more comfortable if we had a precaution in place. Remember last time?”

Bodhi reached over and squeezed his hand. “I know you won't do anything to hurt me. Besides, if you did, Jyn would kill you.”

“Still. Think of something. I'd feel better knowing it existed.”

They were silent for most of the drive to Bodhi's apartment. “What about mayday?” Bodhi asked as they parked in his usual space.

Cassian gave him a puzzled look. “Why mayday?”

“Because it's not something I'd normally say, now is it? Please, it's usually used as a distress signal, so it seems appropriate. It's short and simple and easy to understand. What would you use?”

Cassian smiled. “That should work.”

“I'd still like to know that if I say stop you'll listen,” Bodhi said as they stepped into the elevator.

“Of course I will, but I want you to humor me anyway.”

He could hear the TV through the door as he pulled out his key, some innocuous comedy that meant Wedge was probably over. Sure enough, Luke and Wedge were curled up together on the couch, pizza box left open on the table before them. Luke turned to greet him, eyes widening as he saw his face. “What the hell happened to you?!”

“Benjamin,” Bodhi said as he closed the door.

“Fuck! Dude, please tell me you're pressing charges against him.” Luke jumped up and ran over to inspect his face. “What'd he use?”

“His fist. And no, I'm not pressing charges. That would really get me into trouble with my family.”

Wedge was frowning from his seat. “Doesn't matter, that looks like assault from where I'm sitting. Who's...ah...”

“Oh!” Bodhi gestured toward Cassian, standing quietly behind him. “This is my boyfriend Cassian. Cass, that's Wedge. I think we left Luke's before you got there on Thursday.”

“Yeah, I never showed up until after dark.” He nodded back to Cassian, still eyeing him warily.

“Want to join us? We can put something else on,” Luke said, trying to clear off the chair in the corner.

“No, I'm just here to grab a few things. Start the moving out process.”

Luke blinked at him, confused. “But we have a month still.”

“Yeah, well, Cassian asked me to move in so I'm going to do it. And I figured by taking some stuff now, it'll make things easier later on.” Bodhi nearly started laughing as Luke struggled to find something to say, finally settling on a strangled scream. “Cat got your tongue?” Bodhi teased.

Luke glared at him. “Why don't I help you. Hot guy, you and Wedge can sit here and get to know each other while I talk something over with Bodhi in private.”

Cassian raised an eyebrow but otherwise did as he was told, an amused smirk twisting his lips. Wedge offered him a soda. “I work tonight,” he explained with a shrug. “Otherwise it'd be beer.”

Bodhi heard Cassian ask him about his job as Luke dragged him into his room, slamming the door shut behind him. “What the hell are you thinking?” he whispered furiously.

Bodhi rolled his eyes. “That I'm going to need more than a couple of sets of cloths at first. Also my laptop and charger. Maybe some books.”

“Fuck, Bodhi, you know what I mean. You barely know this guy and you're already moving in with him? Isn't that a little fast?”

“Luke, I'm not having this conversation with you again. It's fine.”

“Really? Is it really fine?”

“It is if you want this friendship to continue.” Bodhi looked up from where he was stuffing socks into a duffle bag. “Luke,” he sighed, closing his eyes against the hurt expression on his best friend's face. “It's fine. I'm not doing anything stupid. Okay, not that stupid at least. Look, I love you. You are the brother I wish I could have had. But this is going to happen whether you approve or not. And besides,” he said, cutting him off before he could interrupt, “Leia said that Cassian was allowed to come over to her place if I moved in with her.”

“Leia said that?!”

“She did. Surprised me as well.”

Luke slumped against the wall. “There's something off about that man, Bodhi. Even you must see it.”

“I do,” Bodhi said cautiously, slowly folding his shirts. “And I know part of the reason for that. And no, I won't tell you. That's for Cassian to decide.”

Luke sighed and turned toward the closet. “Fine. I guess if Leia is okay with it I have to be. I just don't want to suddenly find that we never see you anymore.”

“You'll still see me a lot. We're having drinks with everyone tomorrow, right? I'll still be there. It's not like I'm moving that far away.”

“I guess I shouldn't be jealous since this is kind of my fault.”

“You were the one that kept tell me to go get laid. Thanks for that, by the way. Best advice I've ever gotten.”

“Best dick too?” Luke asked, smirking at Bodhi.

“Oh yeah.”

Bodhi was pleasantly surprised to find Cassian and Wedge engaged in a friendly discussion about soccer, both of them laughing and pointing toward the TV now showing a game with teams he only vaguely recognized. R2 was curled up along Cassian's leg, purring up a storm as Cassian rubbed his ears. Luke raised his eyes towards the ceiling, muttering something about traitors as he set a box of financial records and important papers by the door. Cassian held out his hand for Wedge to shake as he stood up.

“It was nice meeting you. Good luck with that transfer.”

“Thanks man! Hey, after we get settled into our new place, you should come over and watch some games.”

“Really Wedge?” Luke said, arms crossing over his chest. Wedge looked confused, unsure as to why Luke was angry with him.

Bodhi rolled his eyes and waved goodbye. “See you all tomorrow at eight. And no, I will not be the designated driver so plan ahead.”

They could hear Luke arguing with Wedge as they headed toward the elevator. “I take it Luke doesn't trust me?”

“Not in the least. Especially since his father won't tell him how he knows you.”

“Think he'll figure it out?”

“Oh, he's going to try unless he gets distracted by something else.”

Cassian chuckled. “Well, good luck to him. Jyn has hidden our trail so deep it's nearly impossible to find.”

“Only nearly?” Bodhi teased, holding the door open for Cassian and the box.

“Nothing is ever truly hidden forever. Someone will always find something if they know what they are doing and are willing to look long enough.” Cassian crowded close behind him as he loaded his bags into the trunk. “That saying, I think it's about time to head home and return to what we started last night.”

Bodhi shivered as Cassian wrapped his arms around his waist, kissing at the back of his neck. “You're planning to make it so I never want to go outside again, aren't you?”

“How else can I make you truly mine? Is it working?”

“Obviously.” Bodhi yelped and twisted away with a giggle.

Cassian's eyes lit up. “So you are ticklish? Good to know.”

Fuck, Bodhi thought. This was going to be a long day, with any luck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured after all that I put Bodhi through last chapter, he deserved something nice this time. What's nicer than hearing those three little words from someone you care about?
> 
> Just a quick note for the coming chapters. It's probably going to start skipping ahead in time, now that things are finally rolling along. Also, certain parts of the chapters will start being in the other characters perspective. This is still going to be Bodhi's story, but there's going to be some things occurring that he might not see coming.
> 
> Happy reading everyone!


	16. Chapter 16

“Dude...did you really pick a karaoke bar?” Han asked with a frown.

Luke rolled his eyes. “It was Wedge's idea, not mine.”

“I don't know, Hand. This could actually be fun,” Lando said, draping himself across his shoulder with a smirk. He tilted his head to press theirs together.

“Still think it's funny to mispronounce my name?”

“Every single day.”

“Well I for one think this is a great idea,” Ellie said as she pushed her way in between them, arms wrapping around their necks. “Besides, I'm quite enjoying the all leather uniforms the staff has. None of those skimpy little skirts that the woman are usually forced into.”

“You still ogle those women,” Lando pointed out as he tried to twist out of her grip, sighing as her arm tightened around his waist instead.

“Yes, but I like when I can ogle both equally, not one or the other. Ellie approves.”

“I'm glad you like it,” Wedge said as he rejoined their group, “but could you maybe loosen your grip on Han? He's turning red and I really don't like having to fill out incident logs on my days off.”

Ellie raised an eyebrow, glancing to her right to find Han, indeed, turning bright red and hitting her arm with his fist. She rolled her eyes but complied.

“You,” Han gasped, rubbing his neck. “You are way stronger than you look.”

“It's called exercise. Ever hear of it?”

“Sounds overrated.”

“What's overrated?” Bodhi asked as he walked up.

“Dude! Finally!” Luke grabbed his sleeve and pulled him close. “Where have you been?”

“Sorry. We got stuck in traffic.” He shrugged.

“We?”

“Yeah, Jyn dropped me off. I was doing something for her earlier and this was just easier.”

“What?!”

Bodhi rolled his eyes. “Luke, it's like fifteen dollars to park here and I'm very poor right now. Besides, this way I can drink as much as I like and not have to worry about how I'm going to get home.”

“You could just ride with me and Wedge,” Luke mutter with a pout.

“Dude, I moved out yesterday. I'm not coming back unless it's to get more of my things. Okay?”

Wedge clamped his hand across Luke's mouth as he started to say something. “Gentlemen, let's not fight. We only have the room until eleven, so let's get started shall we?” He gave Bodhi a tight smile. “Plus some drinks might mellow everyone out.”

Luke twisted free, scowling at Wedge. “I wasn't fighting. I was merely pointing out—”

“Luke,” Wedge said with a sigh, “we've been over this. I'm not having this discussion again tonight.”

Luke huffed at him as they settled into the private room. He glanced toward where Leia and Ellie were setting up their song selections; his lips quirked. “Fine. I'll shut up for now. On one condition.”

“What's that?” Wedge asked, resigned.

“Bodhi has to invite Jyn to join us.”

Bodhi narrowed his eyes. “Any particular reason other that Leia will hate it?”

Luke pretended to look innocent. “Why, what other reason would I have?”

“Maybe,” Bodhi said, eyes locked on Luke's, “maybe you just want to try and meddle in my love life.”

“I was the one that suggested you get one in the first place,” Luke countered, lips pursed.

“Yes, so I did and you get no right to complain.”

“No one is complaining,” Wedge said, glaring at Luke. “Bodhi, feel free to ask Jyn to join us. Cassian too if you want. I'm surprised you didn't bring him.”

“I offered but he was busy tonight.” Bodhi sent a quick text. “There, if that makes you happy Luke, I asked her if she wants to join in. Now excuse me, but I'm going to order my first drink since I only have enough for a few and I'm sick of waiting.”

“Order what you want,” Lando said, pulling on Bodhi's arm to get him to join him on one of the couches. “Tabs my treat tonight. I managed to snag a pretty big contract at work so things are looking up. We'll call tonight 'Lando's celebration bash', shall we?”

“In that case, I'm ordering by the bottle,” Ellie said, punching in their orders on the iPad left on the table.

“Thanks, man, but I can buy my own drinks. I'm not a charity case.”

Lando was shaking his head. “That has nothing to do with it, but I'll make you a deal. You remember those pastries you brought last year to my birthday? Just get me a few dozen for this year and we'll call it even.”

“Seems a bit one sided, but I'll take it.” He grinned at Lando before going to join Leia on the padded bench by the door.

Ellie had once again caught Han in a death grip, this time around the shoulders, back to Luke as he read through the song list. “Alright, meat bags, I propose a challenge. We each get to pick three songs to start with, then it's onto karaoke roulette. We queue up a bunch of songs and play spin the bottle to see who gets to sing it. Rules are that you must take a shot every time it's your turn and if you want to skip it, it's two. Seem fair?”

“What about the designated drivers? What are they drinking?” Wedge asked, frowning at her.

Ell rolled her eyes. “Since Wedge has stressed just how important they are, they have to drink a shot of one of these random sodas that I brought and the conveniently pulled the labels off.”

“Seems pretty fair,” Wedge said, nodding his head.

Ellie snorted. “You might not think so once you're drinking. At least one of these has ghost pepper extract in it. Show of hands, who's our responsible ones tonight, 'cause it certainly ain't me.” She nodded as Lando, Wedge, and Leia all raised their hands, finally releasing Han. She picked up three of the freshly delivered glasses and stuck window cling stickers to them. “These are for you guys then. Everyone else, let's get wasted!”

It was somewhere between Han's rendition of “Come and Get Your Love” and Ellie's “Cherry Bomb” that Jyn responded that she was on her way. Bodhi, by that point, was beginning to feel a pleasant buzz, having never once been left with an empty glass, thanks to Ellie and Wedge. He was giggling softly, eyes squeezed shut as he rested his head on Leia's shoulder. “Don't you think you've had enough to drink?” she asked him, more amused that concerned.

“Nope. Ellie's singing doesn't sound good yet.”

“That's an interesting marker,” Leia said, snorting.

“Not wrong, though.”

“You seem like you're in a very good mood today.”

“I am. I think I'm happy.”

“Only think?”

“Yeah. Sex was good last night. I love Cassian. I love everything about him.”

Leia hummed and pressed a plastic bottle into his hand. “You need to drink some water before you regret it.”

“You're a good friend, Leia. No. You're a great friend. You must have been a good sister. I wish you were my sister. Maybe I'd like my family more if you had been in it,” he mumbled, downing half the bottle.

“I wasn't that great of a sister,” she said, voice almost to soft to hear. “I could have done more.”

Bodhi hummed and snuggled closer to her side. “Well, I think you were good.”

“You're an idiot,” she said right as Jyn walked in. “And what the hell is she doing here?”

“Luke invited her because he knows you hate her.” Bodhi shifted closer to Leia, patting the bench for Jyn to join them. “Grab a glass with a sticker if you don't want Ellie to get you drunk.”

Jyn rolled her eyes. “I have no reason to be sober tonight, though I'm pretty sure I'm better at holding my liquor than you.”

“Hey, lady, how have you been?” Lando asked, leaning over with a grin.

“Hey yourself,” she grinned back, nodding toward Ellie, who was glaring while belting out the lyrics crawling across the screen. “Someone seems jealous.”

“Just ignore her, she'd not stupid enough to start anything tonight. Want in on this?” He pointed toward the screen. “We have time if you want to pick something. Or else you can wait for the real fun to begin.”

“Real fun? I'm intrigued.”

“Guess you'll have to wait a few minutes then,” Lando said, standing up to take Ellie's place.

She dropped onto the couch, feet landing in Han's lap making him wheeze. “You seem really familiar.”

“Do I?” Jyn asked, leaning back in her seat.

“You do. I'm Ellie, by the way. You must be Jyn. Lando mentioned you,” she said as Lando started crooning “My Way.”

“Good guess. Lando mentioned you too. You guys seem pretty close.”

Ellie shrugged and reached for her glass. “It's casual mostly. I guess you could call it an open relationship if you wanted to.”

Han snorted, head rolling back against the wall. “If by open you mean that only you think you're dating him, then sure, that's an accurate description.”

“You didn't seem to mind it last week,” Ell said, glaring at him.

Leia's eyebrow went up as Han blushed. “Really Solo? You and L3?”

“And Lando, but there's always room for more,” Ellie said, studying Jyn.

Jyn saluted her with her glass. “As interesting as that sounds, I'm actually in the market for something a little different.”

“Rain check, then.” Ell sniffed as she turned away.

Jyn looked at Bodhi as he stayed snuggled up against Leia. “Should I call for your ride already?”

“No,” he whined, turning away. “I'm having fun.”

“I distinctly remember Cassian telling you not to over do it.”

“Did he?” Luke asked, dropping down next to her, jostling Leia off the other end. She scowled and went to join Wedge as he cleared off the table. “That seems a bit controlling.”

Jyn shrugged as she finished her glass. “More concerned. Bodhi here had quite a bit to drink yesterday on top of what happened the other day with his family. If he was really controlling, he would never have let him join you guys.”

“Hey, ah, how do you two know my dad?”

“Real subtle Luke,” Leia called out as Lando belted out the last verse.

Jyn smirked at him. “See, I could tell you that, but then I might have to kill you.”

Luke grinned, flushed cheeks betraying just how much he had been drinking. “Fine, keep your secrets. I'll figure it out on my own.”

“Luke, babe, I love you, but shut up for a moment, okay?” Wedge said as Lando set down the mic. “Okay, one last time. The rules for karaoke roulette are as follows. One drink each time you sing, two if you pass. Drivers, mystery sodas only. I will be keeping an eye on everyone and if I say you've had enough, there will be no arguing, understood?” When everyone nodded, Wedge set one of the empty bottles on its side. “Lando, you want to spin first?”

“Nah. You start it. I'm going to try and force some water into these two.” He gestured toward Han and Ellie, who were both past tipsy and into the drunk stage of their night.

“You even think of bring that disgusting shit near me and I'll end you,” Ell threatened. Lando rolled his eyes and poured the water onto Han's glass.

Han giggled and chugged it in one go. “That puts me one ahead of you,” he said to Ellie.

“I swear to god Han, it's not a competition,” Lando muttered.

Wedge ignored the three and spun the bottle. “First up is...Luke. Get singing.”

Luke stumbled toward the front, tripping over Han's legs with a laugh. He down his shot and immediately launched into “Bye Bye Bye,” eyes closed as he sang with enthusiasm. Ell wolf whistled as he danced along with the song, moves choreographed to match the music. At the end, he bowed, nearly tipping over before spinning and getting Lando. They managed to cycle through almost everyone, including a memorable version of “Toxic” sung by Jyn, who kept her eye on Leia the entire time. Leia flipped her off, rolling her eyes as Luke had his next turn. After yet another boy band, he spun the bottle to land on a very sleepy Bodhi.

He whined as Jyn pushed him toward the front, blinking as he tried to focus on the words in front of him. He cleared his throat and started singing “I Want it That Way.” He ignored Wedge's muttered “fucking Luke” because only Luke would think it funny to pepper their playlist with as many boy band songs as this. He finished to a raucous round of applause before spinning and getting himself again.

Leia frowned as she looked at the title of the next song. “Absolutely not! Luke, you're never allowed to pick the music again.”

“Ell was in on it too!” he shouted.

“I don't care, I'm removing all of them.”

“If you do that, that counts as a skip for Bodhi,” Ellie said. “That's two shots.”

Before Leia could say anything, Bodhi downed his glass and held it out for a second. Rolling her eyes, Leia finished with the list and sat back. “Bodhi, you doing okay?”

“Peachy,” he slurred, smiling when he saw Leia's choice. “This one?” He waited for her nod and downed his third shot in a matter of minutes. He cleared his throat and started singing “Read My Mind,” eyes closed as he swayed alone to the music. Jyn, who had started filming him as soon as he first stepped up, leaned toward Leia.

“Is he always this good?”

Leia nodded. “He's got a great voice, when you can get him to sing. He and Luke used to perform at clubs during college. Mostly just for fun, but they made enough to cover their bar tabs at least.”

“Please tell me you have it on video.”

Leia smirked. “I don't like you so what makes you think I'd share it with you?”

Jyn laughed and leaned back, watching how animated he had become as the song went on. She cheered along with the others once he finished, sending the videos to Cassian as Bodhi rejoined her, leaning heavily against her side after his spin had chosen Han.

Han was halfway through a heartfelt rendition of “Wind Beneath My Wings” when Luke leaned toward Bodhi. “Hey man, I know earlier that I was kind of picking on you, but it's just because I care. You're my best friend.”

“I know,” Bodhi mumbled, closing his eyes.

“Which is why you should come back with us tonight. Don't move out yet. Let me look up this guy you've been dating first.”

“Luke, drop it. I'm not coming home with you. Okay?” Bodhi pulled away from Jyn, keeping his voice low so that she would not know what they were discussing. He really didn't want this getting back to Cassian. “I moved out and nothing you can say will get me to come back.”

Luke ground his teeth, face twisted in annoyance. “Bodhi, you're being stupid. You barely know this guy. What is fucking wrong with you?”

“So my sleeping with him on the first date was okay for you? But my actually wanting to date someone is wrong?”

“That's not what I'm saying!”

“Then what are you saying? Because you sound exactly like my mum right now.”

Luke glared at him. “You've barely known him a month and you're already moving in with him. That's too fast. How well do you even know him?”

“Well enough.”

Luke gestured wildly with his hand. “What's that even supposed to mean?”

“It means that I can make my own decisions, whether you like them or not,” Bodhi shouted, drawing attention from the group. He flushed but refused to back down. “You can't tell me one thing and then get mad at me when I do it because if that's how you're going to act then maybe I don't want to be your friend anymore!”

“Take that back!” Luke yelled, shoving Bodhi off the bench. Jyn caught him before he hit the ground, arms grabbing his wrists before he could swing at Luke.

“Guys! Knock it off!” Leia yelled, hurrying over to separate them. “Luke, whatever you said, you need to apologize right now!”

Luke was pouting, tears in his eyes. “But he said—”

“I know what he said, but you started it. Wedge and I have both told you to back off.”

“I don't trust this guy he's dating. There's something that seems familiar about him.”

“But he was fine for me to have a one night stand with?” Bodhi asked, wiping furiously at the tears running down his cheeks.

“I didn't say that!” Luke yelled back.

Jyn stood up and tugged Bodhi to his feet. “I think it's time that Bodhi went home.”

“I can drive him,” Wedge offered, scowling at Luke. “It's probably best if we call this a night anyway.”

“It's fine, I already called his ride. He should be here in a moment.”

Leia glanced at Lando. “Think you can handle those two?” When he nodded, she turned back toward Luke, pointing at his face. “You are coming with me then. We have a lot to talk about.”

“No,” he whined, arms crossed over his chest. “I'm going home with Wedge.”

“Yes you are, but I'm driving you so I can yell at you. You deserve it.” She followed Jyn to the door. “Wait here or else.”

She took Bodhi's other arm and helped Jyn guide him down the stairs and onto the street. He sniffled in her arms.

“Leia,” he whined, “why does Luke hate me?”

“He doesn't hate you,” she said, exasperated. “He's just a jerk when he doesn't get what he wants. Not knowing what's going on must be driving him crazy.”

Jyn shook her head. “ Yeah, well, if he's smart he won't meddle.”

“Luke isn't smart. That needs to be established right now. Wedge already told me he's asked him to run a background check on Cassian. Wedge told him no and they had their first big fight over it. That definitely doesn't help with the stick up his ass.”

Jyn snorted as a SUV pulled up in front of them. “Help me get him in back.”

“Whoa, shit, how much did he drink?” the man driving asked as Jyn and Leia shoved Bodhi into the seat.

“More than we thought apparently,” Leia muttered as she buckled his seat belt, hair breaking loose from it's tail and falling into her face.

“Boss man's gonna have a field day with this,” he said, grinning. He held his hand out to Leia. “Hey, how are ya? I'm—”

“No names,” Jyn said, a clear threat present in her voice.

“Um, right. Okay then. I'll take him to the boss?”

“All the way to the door then come back and get me. Let me know when you drop him off. And make sure you tell Andor to text me as soon as Bodhi is taken care of.”

“Got it. See you soon.” He drove off as soon as they closed the door.

Jyn turned to find Leia staring at her, arms crossed over her chest, hip cocked. Rolling her eyes, Jyn asked primly, “what is it now, princess?”

“I want a honest answer. Is Bodhi safe with Cassian?”

“Yes.” Jyn held her gaze with flinching. “Cassian won't hurt him. Unlike some, we protect our own.”

“So he's yours now?”

“He made his choice.

“And if Bodhi wants to leave?”

“He'll always have that option. Cassian trusts him and he hardly ever trusts anyone. So do I, for that matter.”

Leia nodded. “Fine. I still don't like you, but I won't say anything else. For the moment. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go scream at my idiot brother. And then make sure to wake him up nice and early to yell at him some more.”

Jyn smiled and held her hand out. “I'm beginning to like you, princess.”

Leia scowled at her hand. “Absolutely not. And quit calling me that.”

“Whatever you say, princess.” Jyn watched her start to walk away. “I do have something I'd like to discuss with you, though. Are you free after this is all over?”

Leia turned to glare at her.

Jyn was quick to raise her hands. “Let's call a truce, shall we? This is important, otherwise I wouldn't ask.”

Leia sighed. “Fine. Meet me by my car in five minutes. Space number 94. We can go talk somewhere after I deal with Luke.”

Jyn smiled. “I know a few places.”

* * *

Bodhi remembered little of the ride home. He knew there must have been some kind of mumbled conversation, though nothing seemed real until he whined when the bright lights in the entryway made him flinch. He heard Cassian sigh.

“I'm assuming you got Jyn's message?”

“Of course. I'll take him from here. Feel free to eat something before you leave. I'll be back down with your orders in a moment.”

“Got it. Make sure you text Jyn before I leave, though. I'm supposed to go pick her up and don't want to get yelled at.”

“Check your messages. The location changed. She said she discussing something with a friend first.”

“Got it.”

Bodhi opened his eyes as he felt someone pick him up. “Oh, hey, it's hot guy. Have I told you how cute you are, 'cause you are. Like really cute and really hot.” He gave Cassian a sleepy grin as they started up the stairs. “When did I learn to float?”

“You didn't. I'm carrying you,” Cassian said, voice soft and gentle.

“Hmm. You're so strong.” He sighed as Cassian set him on the bed and started changing his clothes. “Hey...hey. Can we have sex? I'm like, really, really horny maybe?”

Cassian hummed noncommittally as he helped him into a t-shirt.

“Cassian,” Bodhi whined. “Fuck me...”

He kissed his forehead gently and helped him lay down. “You are in no shape for anything like that right now. Not until you're sober. Now try and rest for a bit and I'll be back with some aspirin, okay?”

Bodhi squirmed under the sheet, face twisted. “I thought you loved me,” he whined, tears filling his eyes.

Cassian sighed and sat beside him. “I do, but we're not having sex. Not if you're drunk. Now try and rest and I'll be back soon.” He brushed the hair back from Bodhi's face. “Can you do that? Be my good boy and do what I asked?”

Bodhi nodded, eyes closing. “I'm your good boy.”

Cassian smiled and stood up. Bodhi was sound asleep, breath puffing softly as his head rolled to the side. He turned on the lamp as well as the bathroom light before heading back downstairs. He frowned when he found Bistan sitting on the counter in the kitchen.

“What? You said I could eat.” Bistan sighed as he dropped to the floor. “You never care when boss lady does this.”

“Jyn ranks higher than you. That gives her immunity.” Cassian paced around the room, face tense. “Call them in.”

Bistan froze, hand pausing with his sandwich half way raised. “Boss?”

“Did I stutter?”

“No sir. Sorry.” He swallowed and bit his lip. “All of them?”

“As many as are available. I want them here by dawn. Those that can't make it in in person will need answer to me. No excuses. Anyone that does not at least check in will have to answer to me personally, not Jyn this time. Understood?”

“Yeah, I'll go get started.” Bistan set his plate aside and grabbed his jacket. “Everything okay boss?”

“You have your orders. Go.”

“Sure, yeah. Um, you going to get any sleep tonight?”

“That's none of your concern.”

“Right.” Bistan nodded and headed for the door. “I'll go make some calls. Make sure boss lady texts me when she needs that lift.”

Cassian dropped the plate in the sink, not caring if it broke. He rummaged through the cabinets until he found what he needed, palming a pair of pills to take up to Bodhi along with a glass of water. He stopped to double check the doors and the alarm system. He found Bodhi curled up on his side, head covered by his arms. He set the stuff down and snapped a pic, sending it to Jyn.

Andor: Safely settled in. I expect a full report tomorrow.

JE: of course. Should have more info by then

Andor: meeting for dawn, will you be here?

JE: don't count on it

Andor: stay away for a few days then. Report when you can.

He set his phone to the side and rubbed his face. His mind was racing, going over everything he needed to do tonight as well as plans for the coming days. He needed more intel before he could finalize anything, before contingency plans could be made. So much had changed in just a matter of days. He tensed when he felt a hand brush against his leg, relaxing when he realized it had to be Bodhi. “You should be asleep.”

“Are you mad at me?”

Frowning, Cassian turned to face him, eyes softening as he saw the worried look on his face. “Why would I be mad at you?”

“Because I got drunk even though you told me not to.”

Cassian smiled. “I'm not mad at you, though we will talk about this later. For now,” he handed him the pills and the water, “take these so you don't feel as bad tomorrow.”

“'Kay. I had a fight with Luke.”

“Did you?”

“Yeah. He hates me. I hate him too.”

Cassian prodded his hand, pushing it toward his mouth. “No you don't.”

“I do,” Bodhi said, adamantly. “He's a jerk and he said mean things.”

“Bodhi, take your pills,” Cassian said, allowing a bit of authority to bleed into his voice. Once he was sure he had swallowed them, Cassian took his hand. “I'm sure it was just the alcohol talking and that everything will be fine. In fact, I'm sure you won't remember any of this tomorrow. So try and rest, okay?”

Bodhi gazed at him, eyes sad but hopeful. “Come snuggle with me at least?”

Cassian found himself unable to resist. “For you, anything.” He kicked off his shoes and settled in, pulling Bodhi tight against his chest. He kissed the top of his head when he sighed, arms wrapped tight around him. He waited until his breathing even out to whisper, “oh, my love. There is so much you don't know.”

He ran his hands through Bodhi's hair, watching as the light in the window gradually began to shift as the hours past. He needed to get ready; it wouldn't do for him to be late to his own meeting, not today at least. Cassian carefully shifted Bodhi back onto the bed, leaning over to kiss the corner of his mouth. “One way or another, I'll find a way to keep you safe from whatever comes. I don't think I could stand to lose you, not now.”

He stood up and brushed off his clothes, ignoring the wrinkles that had formed. He sighed and rubbed at his eyes.

“What am I going to do with you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear, this chapter was like trying to herd cats. Everyone wanted to go off in their own direction and refused to be wrangled. They got there in the end.
> 
> And poor Bodhi. It feels like everyone is picking fights with him lately. I swear there's a reason for it, so he'll be okay.
> 
> Next chapter should be up soon. It's already mostly written. Just two more scenes and editing before it can be posted. Plot is moving ahead next chapter. Thanks for hanging in there. Until next time!


	17. Chapter 17

Cassian had been grinding his teeth for the last fifteen minutes. He could feel a tension headache coming on, but so far none of his usual tricks seemed to be helping. He listened to Timker and Casrich continue to argue, their voices rising in volume as they grew more heated. With his elbows resting on the edge of the table, he dropped his head onto his laced fingers, thumbs rubbing at his temples.

“And I'm telling you we should just go in and see what's there. If we let them get a hold in the area, we've lost!”

“It would be suicide! Even if our actions were justified and we could prove that they were encroaching on our territory, it would be setting up a bad precedence. We'd be inviting them to come after us in retaliation.”

Casrich scoffed, arms crossed over his chest. “I think you're just scared.”

Timker slammed her palm flat on the table. “I've faced them before, which is more than you can say. And I didn't walk away unscathed. I have every right to be cautious, especially when our own people can't even give us anything concrete!”

“Yeah, well Rostok agrees with me, right?”

Rostok glanced toward Cassian, who had yet to move as he watched them over the tops of his fingers. He shook his head warily. “I actually agree with Timker for once. I don't want to get anywhere near anyone even remotely affiliated with the Crimson Dawn. Just the fact that there are rumors going around that some of their groups are scouting the area makes me want to lay low for a while.”

“We have no proof!”

“Which is why we need it!”

Cassian dropped his hands and leaned back in his chair, eyes closing for just a moment. Bistan tapped his shoulder, handing him a new cup of coffee before retreating to the corner again. Forcing himself to drink it at a reasonable pace, rather than gulp it down in one go, he picked up his phone, hoping for a message from Jyn even though he knew it was impossible. He had sent her out to gather information, but thus far she had been silent. Around him, the arguing grew louder as the rest joined in. “Enough.”

Though his voice had been soft, it had the desired effect. The table went still, not a sound to be heard.

He tossed his phone onto the table. “Do you mean to tell me that none of you morons have any of the information that I've asked for?”

Sefla shrugged. “We've been trying. It hasn't been as easy at it should be. Whoever these new guys are working with, they're good at hiding. So far, we've uncovered very little.”

“Just what your little plaything told Jyn,” Casrich said, paling immediately when Cassian leveled his blandest look at him. “Fuck, I didn't mean it that way, I swear. I am so sorry. I didn't mean any disrespect. I just don't know how else to refer to him....” He trailed off nervously, hands gripping the edge of the table.

“You will refer to him as the Pilot and nothing more until I tell you otherwise. Is that clear?”

“Perfectly. Thank you, sir.”

Cassian said nothing else, merely holding his eyes a moment longer before turning to study each of them in turn. He knew that his relationship with Bodhi was a poorly kept secret within his top circle. There were only a few in his organization that he would dispatch help for; he had sealed his fate and aroused the curiosity of everyone close to him after the incident with Bodhi's passenger that time. One of Jyn's current tasks was to see just how far outside that knowledge had extended and to put a stop to it if possible.

“Sir. Captain,” Selfa offered, licking his lips. Cassian could tell that he was nervous. “Tonc may have something that could help.”

The young man beside him nodded, eager to make a good impression. “There's been some unusual deals going down near the edges of our area. Drugs mostly, but some weapons. Even a few suspicious kidnappings, though we can't prove anything yet. That's why I came along. It's not quite what you asked for, but it might be a start.”

Cassian studied him. Tonc was fairly new to their group, having joined around the start of the year. He had proven himself to be a valuable member and had risen quickly to become Selfa's trusted second in command. He was ruthless and brave—and young, Cassian thought. When he looked at him, all he saw was another youth that had grown up far too quickly. Pushing those thoughts from his head, Cassian gestured for him to continue.

Tonc smiled, his face lighting up. “There's some guys that come around sometimes. None of us recognize them, but we've been told not to engage them. I've seen the marks though, and I recognized one as one of the Dawn's brands. Maybe they broke loose and are on the run, but I don't really believe that and I'm sure you don't either.”

“Don't I?” Cassian asked, amused in spite of himself.

Tonc paled, but pushed on. “I, uh, I think we can catch them, if you want. They've been getting bolder, so it shouldn't be too hard.”

“When was the last time they were spotted?”

“About a week ago.”

Cassian crossed his hands behind his head. “How often do you see them?”

“Maybe every two weeks, but if we get more people to keep an eye out, maybe sooner.”

Cassian stared at Selfa who nodded. “Keep it small. Only those you trust,” Cassian said. “Observe them first, then wait for my orders. I don't want any kind of engagement until further notice.”

“Yes sir,” Tonc said, biting back his grin.

“I still think we're moving too slowly,” Casrich said, slightly subdued.

“Have you ever gone up against Crimson Dawn, or any of it's men? They don't like having their plans interfered with,” Calfor said. “I lost my brother to them. I ain't getting anywhere near them unless I'm setting up something explosive.”

Casrich had his mouth opened to retort when he froze.

Cassian glanced in the direction he was staring, noticing Bodhi standing in the dining room's doorway. “Um, sorry, I heard voices so...” He stepped back, retreating into the living room. “I'll, ah, just be in the kitchen.” He closed the glass doors as he hurried away.

Cassian sighed, noticing for the first time just how much time had passed since the meeting had begun. “If no one else has anything relevant to discuss then this meeting is over. I want as much information as you can find brought straight to me or Jyn. No one else. I will find out if any of you are lying to me. Oh, and Selfa,” he said as the other stood up. “Tell the guardians I need them to step up their game.”

“Of course Captain,” he said softly, clasping his hand.

Cassian nodded and sighed as Bistan showed them out. He was pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes when he returned. “Anything else you need boss?”

“No, that should be all. Go take a break. I'll call if I need you.”

“Sure thing. You know if you let them meet him, they'd all like him.”

Cassian glared at him. “Bodhi stays out of this for as long as possible. It's bad enough that Jyn's drawn him in as much as she has. I don't need the rest of them involved.”

Bistan shrugged. “Just sayin'. See ya.”

Cassian stayed where he was for a few moments longer before opening the door leading to the kitchen. He paused long enough to turn off the signal blocker he had installed just for such meetings when he had first moved in.

He found Bodhi slumped over the table, asleep again next to a cup of coffee. “You should go back to bed before you screw up your neck.”

Bodhi blinked wearily, groaning as the light hit his face. “Can't hurt worse than my head.”

“Well, from what I've heard you did that to yourself.”

Bodhi flipped him off and closed his eyes again.

“Come on,” Cassian said, pulling him to his feet. “At least go sit on the couch.”

“I'm sorry I interrupted...whatever that was supposed to be,” he mumbled as he let Cassian pull him along.

“You didn't. Did they wake you though?”

Bodhi shook his head, immediately regretting it. “No. I had to pee and then...never mind.”

“What?”

Bodhi sighed as he sat down. “It's silly, but...I woke up and felt horrible and I remembered you were holding me and I looked around, but you weren't there. So I came looking for you. I didn't mean to—they do at least know you're bi, right?”

Cassian chuckled and kissed the top of his head. “Yes, Bodhi. They know I'm bi. I've never exactly kept that hidden.”

“Okay, then I won't worry as much. It was going to be pretty hard to explain why I was in your clothes anyway.”

Cassian studied him, unsure how to respond. “How about some food?”

“I'd say no but I know I should probably eat.”

“Give me a few minutes.”

Though Cassian was gone for only ten minutes, Bodhi had managed to twist himself up in a blanket before curling up in a corner of the couch. He was asleep again, dark circles standing out under his eyes. Cassian set the food down on the coffee table and gently shook him. “Try and eat so you can take more aspirin.”

Bodhi's face twisted up in displeasure but he followed orders, at least until Cassian sat down and he could lean against him, his head resting on his shoulder. “Why do you put up with me?”

Cassian wrapped an arm around him. “Because the sex is amazing.” When Bodhi snorted, he tilted his head toward him. “It's true. But also, you're funny and smart and exceedingly kind. You have an amazing instinct for when it comes to people. You didn't let Jyn scare you off in the beginning and you've trusted me probably more than you should.”

Bodhi pulled away to glare halfheartedly at him. “You're hiding something, aren't you?”

“See,” Cassian said with a smile. “What did I say about amazing instincts?”

Bodhi rolled his eyes. “Fine. I'll get it out of you later. For now, coffee please.”

“Pills first.” Cassian waited until Bodhi had swallowed before asking, “so what made you drink so much last night?”

“Ellie.” Bodhi sighed when Cassian continued to look blank. “Ell has this thing that everyone should have as much alcohol in their system as she does at any given moment, so if you go out with her she'll keep filling your glass and forcing you to drink. Unless you're the designated driver, you are never off limits. Plus—” he hesitated, biting at his lip. “I might have been stressing out about something Luke said.”

“Oh?”

Bodhi shifted away slightly, picking up one of the pieces of toast Cassian had made for him. “It's stupid really.”

“Not if it bothered you enough to make you do this.”

Bodhi snorted. “This is something I'd probably have done anyway, just maybe not as quickly. No, Luke was going on and on about how we barely know each other and how it's too soon to be living together and it kind of got to me because it's true. We've known each other, what, a month? And you still have secrets that I know nothing about and I just—I don't like second guessing what I do.”

Cassian reached for his hand. “You do know,” he said, rubbing his thumb over the back of his hand, “that you don't have to stay here. If you want, I can set you up in your own apartment. Hell, I could buy you a house if you really want. Someplace where you could have your own space and no one could judge.”

“Couldn't they? I'd feel like a mistress.” Bodhi laughed. “Is there a male term for that? A mister? That can't be right. That's not the point. What if he's right, though? What if we did rush into things?”

“Is that how you feel? Think about it carefully before you answer.”

Bodhi closed his eyes, sniffing slightly. “No. I don't.”

“Then why did it bother you?”

“I think...I think it's because for so long I only had Luke. And the thought of him hating me just got to me. I didn't want to fight with him last night, but he kept going on and on and finally I couldn't stand it anymore. I—I told him I didn't want to be his friend anymore. That I hated him. I didn't mean it though.”

Cassian touched his cheek, gently turning him to face him. “How well do you remember last night?”

“Way too clearly.” Bodhi sniffed and gave a little shrug. “It's the curse of being me. I remember far too many things.”

Cassian pulled him into a kiss. “Maybe that's also why I love you. Look, all of this is fixable. You and Luke can talk things out and if he's still not understanding, then you can go from there. But first, what do you want to do? Do you not want to move in?”

“I really do.” Bodhi held up a hand to stop him from talking. “Yes, I have some concerns, but I've had them since we met. I've been—I've been nervous, scared even. This whole thing, it feels like I'm getting in over my head, which I probably am. But then we're together and everything just feels right and good and then, then I leave and everything starts to feel like it did before and I just—I don't like that feeling and I...I just want to stay with you.”

Cassian pulled him into another kiss, tongue slipping in past Bodhi's parted lips. He pulled back reluctantly, eyes dark. “Alright. Why don't you ask me what you want to know?”

“What?” Bodhi's mind was reeling, unable to process what Cassian had just said.

“You said...you said there were things you didn't know. I...” He drew in a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. “I'll answer your questions, so long as I think it won't get you hurt.”

“You've said that before but never really say anything.”

“So ask this time and I'll try to do better.”

Bodhi blinked at him, debating. “You don't have to.”

“I do. I trust you, Bodhi. What would you like to know?”

Bodhi pulled his legs up onto the couch, food forgotten. He turned to face Cassian, legs crossed before him. “Do you have any siblings?”

Cassian hesitated. “No... At least not alive.”

He reached for his hand. “I'm so sorry.”

Cassian shrugged. “Don't be. They never had a chance. Died before they were born. Same time as my mom, actually. Accident.”

Bodhi moved closer, wrapping his arms around him. “We can stop,” he whispered.

“No. I, I need to talk about this at some point. Jyn knows everything. That's probably why she's so overprotective. Go on.”

Bodhi gulped. “Okay...what made you decide to get involved with...all of this?”

“What, you mean organized crime? The mafia? A gang?”

Bodhi nodded, relaxing when he heard the note of amusement in Cassian's voice. “Whatever you want to call it.”

“I guess it was the family business, only I took it a step further. My father was a low level runner. Got himself into a lot of trouble for it, too. I decided I didn't want to have to answer to anyone else, hence the whole 'mob boss' thing. Once I met Jyn, it became a lot easier. She backed my rise to power. We broke loose from the group we were working for and came here. Set up our own little business and well...”

“Succeeded?”

Cassian smiled. “Admirably.”

Bodhi snorted. “How did you meet Jyn?”

“The first time? When we were kids. Officially? You know how Padme said she got Jyn out of trouble? Well, let's just say that that wasn't the first time that had happened. When I met her the second time, she was far scarier than she is now. She didn't care what she had to do to survive, she just did it. I helped her out; I'm still not sure exactly why she trusted me, but she did and it benefited both of us.” He looked away for a moment. “I can't prove it, but I'm certain she was much younger than she said she was when we met that day. Jyn is quite good at forging documents and erasing trails. Without her...I don't know if I'd be alive today.”

Bodhi leaned against his chest. “Then I'm glad you two met.”

“So am I. She got me you after all.” He smiled as Bodhi giggled. “What else do you want to know?”

“What was your first pet's name?”

Cassian groaned. “Promise not to laugh. It was a mouse that I named Mickey. I wasn't a very creative child.” He was careful not to mention that he only knew that name because of an old worn out VHS that his mother had found in a trash can. He swatted softly at Bodhi's shaking shoulder. “Stop laughing. I was three and he lived in the room we lived in, under my bed. I bet yours was a pony or something.”

“Nope. It was a turtle at the park that I called Hortensia because my mother hated animals and wouldn't allow them in the house. So I begged my nanny to take me to visit it every day until my brother picked it up one day and and threw it into the pond. I thought he had drowned it and cried for a week.”

Cassian bit back a laugh. “You do realize that turtles can swim right?”

“I was barely two! I knew nothing of the sort! It traumatized me for years; I refused to go anywhere near that pond after.” Bodhi shook his head. “It was horrible.”

Cassian hugged him close. “Poor innocent little Bodhi.”

“Quiet you. Let's see...what else should I ask?”

Cassian nudged his plate with his foot. “Eat and then ask. I'll stop you if I can't answer.”

Bodhi hummed and picked the toast back up. “Fine. Let me think of something good then.”

Cassian watched Bodhi as he picked apart the bread, glancing his way with every other bite. “Just ask whatever is on your mind already.”

“Where'd you learn to cook? Seems like a weird skill for a mob boss to have.”

“Sometimes having a valuable skill comes in handy. Makes you important. But was that really what you wanted to ask?”

“Sort of.” He bit his lip. “So...aside from Jyn,” he asked, voice hesitant, “do you have any other family still close to you?”

Sighing, Cassian reached for Bodhi's hand. “Not really, though if you stick around you'll be a part of it.” His lip quirked up in the corner, a mere attempt at a smile. “I have people that I can trust as far as business is concerned and a few acquaintances that I let get close. But you two are the only ones that I've let into my personal life.”

Nodding, he ducked his head and turned partially away. “Cassian. Am I, now or in the future, in any sort of danger?” Bodhi glanced up to meet his eyes. “Would you tell me if I was?”

“What did I say about good instincts? I promise that I will protect.” He squeezed his hand, hoping to convey the conviction of his words. “I won't let anything bad happen to you, as long as I can help it.”

“But would you tell me?”

There was a slight hesitation before he murmured “once I knew for sure, I would tell you what I could.” He thought for sure that Bodhi would walk away then. He knew that Bodhi knew that he was being less than truthful. So more than anything, Cassian was grateful when Bodhi nodded and nestled back against his chest, eyes closing.

“Okay. I trust you.”

Soon, Cassian thought. I'll know more soon. He hoped more than anything that he would be able to keep his promise.

* * *

A week passed before Bodhi received a text from Luke.

LS: Hey. You still mad?

BR: Depends. You still going to be an ass?

LS: Can we meet up and talk?

LS: Please?

Bodhi sighed and rubbed his face. He jumped when Cassian leaned over his shoulder, reading the screen. “Nosy.”

“You should go. It'd be good for both of you. Besides, we still need to go get the rest of your stuff.”

“I'm not sure its worth it.”

“Trust me, it is.” Cassian set a plate in front of him before sitting down. “Do you really want everyone to say that Luke was right? That I'm keeping you from your friends?”

Bodhi scowled at him. “Hey! I had lunch with Leia a few days ago.”

“Yes, when you dropped off your resume. Besides work, what else have you done this week?”

“You.” Bodhi smiled when he heard Cassian's snort. “Where would we even meet? I'm supposed to be running errands for Jyn all next week.”

“Why not Baze's then?” Cassian shrugged. “He won't take sides or interfere. Chirrut on the other hand....”

Bodhi mulled it over as he ate. “And if Luke realizes what I'm doing there?”

“Bodhi,” Cassian admonished. “You deliver food. Nothing more, right?”

“Right. It's a good cover. Fine, have it your way.” He typed out the address along with a time for Monday. “This better not be just an excuse for him to bitch more.”

“It'll be fine. You'll see.”

* * *

Bodhi was sitting at his usual table toward the back when Luke walked in looking apprehensive, dark circles standing out beneath his eyes. He barely looked around before sitting opposite him.

“Uh, hi. It's...it's been a while.”

“What do you want Luke? Just spit it out. Are you here to lecture me some more.”

Luke paled and ducked his head. “I'm really sorry about all of that. I—Bodhi. I don't want to fight anymore. Okay? You were my best friend and—” He sighed. “Look. I fucked up a lot when we were in college and the one thing I could always count on was that you'd be there to help me pick up the pieces. All those times I got myself into bad relationships and fell apart when they ended? You were always there for me. I'm not ready to lose that.”

“So what I have with Cassian is a bad relationship?”

“Fuck. I didn't mean it that way. I meant—”

“I know what you meant, but it doesn't change what happened.”

“I know. But can we at least try and be friends again. I miss you. And I'll try and be more understanding, okay. I know I fucked up before and you're a grown adult that can make your own decisions, so, can we start over?”

Bodhi laughed despite himself. “Whose words were those?”

“A combination of Wedge and Leia. Believe me, they've been letting me have it for the last week.” He shook his head. “I get their point, but...”

“You worry?”

“Yeah,” Luke whispered.

Bodhi nodded. “I worried when you were dating that asshole our first year.”

“God, don't remind me! He was horrible, what was I even thinking? Why didn't you stop me?”

“I did, I did try and stop you. You told me to back off so I did. I only interfered once and that was when he tried to hit you.”

Luke rubbed face. “Fuck, I'm a horrible person.”

“No you aren't.”

“Yes I am. I think I was channeling my uncle for a bit. He never approved of my friends growing up and tried to control who I spent time with. Like now, I realize it was just because he was worried about what had happened with my dad and he didn't want me getting involved in anymore of that, but...I hated him so much for it.”

“Luke, it's okay. I can forgive you, but you have to agree to a few things.”

“Which are?”

“No more interfering unless my life is in immediate danger and no more acting like my mother. Okay?”

Luke broke out into a relieved smile. “I'll try.”

“You'd better.” Bodhi smiled as Baze walked up with a platter of food.

Luke was blinking. “Um, we didn't order yet.”

“This is what you'll want,” Baze said, reaching toward the counter for a teapot.

“You get used to it,” Bodhi said, rolling his eyes. “Plus it's free, so I'm never going to complain. Perk of the job,” he told Luke when he gave him a questioning look.

“Bodhi delivers during the lunch rush for us, so we feed him,” Chirrut called from the back.

“They, uh, they heard us?”

“Every word!” Chirrut laughed.

Bodhi rolled his eyes. “Again, you get used to it. So, Leia mentioned that you and Wedge had a fight. Things better now?”

“Yeah. He pushed me to come talk to you. I'm—I'm glad I did. I missed you.”

“Same.” He grinned. “So...want to hear about the guy I picked up the other night?”

“Yes! Tell me everything, I need details of the details,” Luke exclaimed as he pulled out his notebook.

“Okay, so....”

* * *

True to his word, Luke said very little about Cassian. By Friday, Bodhi was finished packing up his old room. “What about the couch?” Luke asked, fidgeting as Bodhi shoved the last box into his trunk.

“Keep it. With as much stuff as you and Wedge got up to on it I don't want it anymore.”

Luke nodded, glancing away quickly. “I, uh, I'm going to miss you.”

“Luke,” Bodhi laughed, leaning against the bumper, “it's not like I'm moving out of the country. I'm still in the city and we can get together whenever. Besides, we're supposed to hang out with everyone this weekend are we not?”

“Yeah but...it's not the same as when we're in the same place. No one else understands my obsessions like you.”

“Well, you'll just have to convert Wedge now, won't you?”

Luke pulled him into a hug. “Call me immediately if something happens, okay?”

“Nothing's going to happen, so knock it off. You promised.”

“I did, but I still worry.”

Bodhi rolled his eyes. “See you tomorrow, okay? Oh, and Cassian might come so you can try actually talking to him yourself, okay?”

“Yeah. Okay. Text me tonight if you go out? I'm going to be working on my next book so I'll need the distraction.”

“Distraction or inspiration? I want a dedication on one of these, alright?”

“My very next one. Promise.”

Bodhi was still smiling as he drove away, nerves temporarily at bay. He hadn't been lying to Cassian when he had mentioned that sometimes he felt as if he was making the wrong decision even though he truly felt at home whenever they were together. “This is stupid,” he told himself. “Nothing's going to happen.”

He dropped off his stuff, shoving it into one of the spare bedrooms to deal with later. In the kitchen, he found a note from Cassian about food being in the fridge. He felt a warm rush go through his body as he filled a plate and went to sit on the couch. He glanced at a package with his name on it, recognizing Jyn's handwriting. Inside was a note wrapped around a flip phone. “Baze wanted you to have this. Do not program anything into it. Keep it with you at all times. You get one call so make it count. Let no one know you have it.” He frowned slightly before tucking it into his pocket and turning back to his food. He'd think about it later. For now, he just wanted to eat and get going. Friday's were usually his busiest night and he want to take advantage of it.

True to his word, he texted Luke whenever he had a free moment, sending him increasingly stupid ideas for his book.

BR: dude, I'm telling you the clown should do it. Think of the puns!

He was giggling over Luke's response when his phone pinged alerting him to a fare. He confirmed before sending Cassian a text that he'd be home after this one. He smiled when Cassian sent him a photo of a stack of empty coffee cups.

HG: I'm stuck here for eternity unfortunately. Don't wait up.

Bodhi wished him luck and started driving. Cassian had been busy most of the week, leaving at odd hours and returning exhausted. Even Jyn seemed busier than normal; he had barely seen her since karaoke and she never responded to her texts unless she needed him to do something. He wasn't complaining though. She had had him make a lot of runs to this Kay guy and as such his bank account was looking better than it had in a long time.

He pulled up to the loading zone at the airport, waiting only a few seconds before a woman hurried up to the car. “Please tell me you're Bodhi. I've seen five pilots in the last ten minutes.”

“Yes, sorry. There was some construction on the way. Qi'ra, right?”

“Yes.” She gestured toward her bags. “Can you please help me with these?”

Bodhi scrambled out and hurried around to grab one of the suitcases she was holding. He started loading them up as she smiled.

“You are a lifesaver.” Her lips turned up, dark red lipstick making her pale face glow in the light around them. “My friend was supposed to pick me up and canceled at the last second. And my flight was delayed so I'd have to wait another hour for a shuttle.” She smoothed down her black skirt before tugging at the hem of the white blazer. “It's been a long day.”

“Not a problem. Hop in and we'll get going in just a moment.”

She gave him another dazzling smile and hurried toward the passenger seat. Bodhi loaded up the last bag and closed the trunk. He found her already settled in, typing away on her phone. “The Ritz, right?”

“Yes, thank you so much. Traveling is so nerve wracking, especially when you're alone, is it not? There's just so much that can go wrong.”

Bodhi nodded as he merged onto the freeway. “Especially if it's international.”

Qi'ra laughed. “It's so nice when someone understands! Are you from London as well?”

“Sort of. I spent a lot of time there.”

“I wondered. You have such a lovely accent.” Qi'ra held her phone up, moving it around as she checked her makeup in the camera. “Jet leg is a bitch, is it not? Plus this weather! It's suppose to rain soon, right?”

“That's what they've predicted. Are you here on vacation or business?” Bodhi asked, trying to be polite.

“Both actually. I'm supposed to be meeting with clients all this coming week. I just have this weekend to myself.” She twisted in her seat so that the passing street lights illuminated her face. She tilted her chin up, thumb discretely tapping the screen. “With luck, though, everything will go according to plan,” she said as they pulled up to the lobby entrance.

Bodhi smiled as an attendant hurried over to unload her bags. “Well good luck. I hope everything works out for you.”

“Oh, I'm sure it will. It's been productive so far,” she said as she stepped out. She handed Bodhi a tip and waved. “Thank you for all our help.” She turned to walk into the hotel, composing a text as she approached the desk. “I believe a reservation is waiting for me?”

She hit send, smiling as the clerk handed her a keycard. She allowed herself to be escorted to her rooms, glancing around to make sure all was in order as her bags were placed in the closet. She tipped the man helping her and strode over to the windows. She glanced at the screen when the notification went off. Beneath her text of “found him” and the profile of Bodhi she had taken was a single word.

1: confirmed?

She watched as the first drops began to fall, resting her shoulder against the glass.

Q: soon

1: proceed as planned

Qi'ra sighed and pushed herself up. She moved toward the bedroom, grabbing her smaller bag as she went. She'd set up what she could tonight before her meeting with her informant tomorrow. With luck, she'd get what she needed before his patience ran out. If not, well, she knew how to deal with his anger. It was easy enough to redirect. She wasn't worried yet. She glanced at Bodhi's picture one more time before setting aside her phone. Time to get to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in two days? Unheard of. Plot is finally moving forward and should start picking up more from here on out. Also, if Cassian cooperates, there should be more revelations about his past. Happy reading everyone. Hope to see you soon.


	18. Chapter 18

Fate seemed to be working against Bodhi. Drinks with his friends was canceled due to circumstances, and while his bank account was happier to see him going out and working instead, he couldn't help but find himself disappointed. More often than not he came home to an empty house and even jobs from Jyn had seemed to have slowed down. When Cassian did come home, Bodhi felt lucky if he was able to get a handful of kisses in before he was called away.

“You look awful,” he said just a few days before the holiday.

Cassian leveled his blandest look at him; it had quickly lost its ability to make Bodhi nervous and now just served as a guide for how far he could push him.

Snorting, Bodhi turned back toward the stove. “Food should be done soon if you want to go get cleaned up.”

“Smells nice.”

“It's not. It's literally just canned soup. I'm not a chef like you.”

“Thank you,” Cassian whispered, coming up behind him. He wrapped his hands around Bodhi's hips, squeezing through his sweatpants.

Bodhi twisted around for a kiss. “Go take a shower. I'll finish this up and then we can go to bed.”

“It's barely dark out.”

Eyes rolling, Bodhi hip checked him. “Not that kind of bed, you idiot, though you could use it. You've barely slept. But I have other plans for you.” He blushed slightly as he caught Cassian's expression. “I'm horny, alright? So let's not waste any time before they call you away again.”

“Not going to happen,” Cassian growled, leaning in to nuzzle behind his ear.

Shivering, Bodhi reluctantly twisted away. “That's what you said this morning. And yesterday. And two days ago. I've barely seen you. I know you're busy, but I need some time with my boyfriend so I'm stealing it when I can. Now hurry up!”

Cassian caught his chin in a tight grip. “I give the orders here. If we do anything tonight, it'll be on my terms.” He pulled him forward for a deep kiss before releasing him. “I think that's a lesson you need to relearn.”

Bodhi's eyes were bright as he grinned. “Guess you'll have to remind me after we eat.”

Cassian huffed but turned to go upstairs. Bodhi hurried through preparing the rest of the food. Grilled cheese sandwiches and canned tomato soup, while not the fanciest of foods, was something he knew he could make with little fuss. It was the comfort food Luke had introduced him to in college and had become his staple since. Hopefully Cassian would like it. He didn't have too much time to worry; Cassian was back just as he dished up the soup.

“Thank you,” he said as he took his plate.

Bodhi shrugged. “It's not much.”

“I meant for taking care of me, but also for the food. This is nice. Something you ate growing up?” Cassian teased as he sat down.

“Hardly.” Bodhi snorted. “My mother would have been caught dead before she allowed any of this crap in the house. Everything we had was handmade with only the finest fresh ingredients. Luke taught me this since he refused to live off ramen noodles, though I'm pretty good with those too.” He smiled as he watched Cassian devour his food. “Hungrier than you thought?”

Cassian glanced up. “I haven't really had time to eat,” he said dryly. “I've been busy.”

“Well, that will have to change.” Bodhi wandered back into the kitchen. “Want more?”

“I was told there was something involving a bed?”

Bodhi blushed as he put the leftovers away. “There might be...” He inhaled sharply as Cassian came up behind him and leaned against his back.

“Leave the dishes and get upstairs. I believe you have a lesson that needs to be taught.”

“Fuck yes.” He spun around, arms wrapping around Cassian's neck to pull him close. “Turn your phone off?” he pleaded.

Cassian frowned at him. “You know I can't.”

“Fine,” Bodhi huffed as he maneuvered them towards the stairs. “At least promise you won't answer until we're finished.”

“Bodhi...”

“I know, I know.” Bodhi stepped back though his kept his arms loosely draped across his shoulders. “I'm sorry. I won't criticize again.”

Cassian shook his head. “You knew what you were getting into.”

“Yeah, but...I didn't think you'd be gone this much. Does this have anything to do with the other day? With what you guys were talking about?” Bodhi dropped his head, unable to meet Cassian's eyes. “I, ah—I might have been listening in more than I let on.”

Cassian took his hand and lead him upstairs. “Yes, it does. But I really don't want to talk about it right now. I have other things in mind.”

“Fuck,” Bodhi moaned. “I missed you so much.”

Cassian kissed him and tugged at his shirt. “Off and in bed. I won't tell you a second time.”

Bodhi wasted no time in stripping, biting his lip as Cassian pulled out lube and a condom before pulling his shirt off. Bodhi quickly climbed onto the bed, kicking the cover out of the way.

“A little eager?” Cassian laughed. “Just remember, I decide from this point on.” He finished undressing and settled between his legs. Letting Bodhi pull him down into a heated kiss, he slipped his tongue past his lips. Cassian pulled back sightly, gently kissing the side of Bodhi's jaw before working his way lower, lips trailing softly down his neck onto his chest, his fingers skimming along his sides as he continued down toward his hip. He heard Bodhi gasp before releasing a whine as he nipped at his thigh; sitting up, he gripped his legs tight.

“Cass! Please!” Bodhi's eyes were wild as he struggled to sit up. He gasped as Cassian let go to grab his arms instead, pining his wrists to the top of the bed.

“Stay like this. Don't move.”

Squirming beneath him, Bodhi tried to pull his hands free. “No,” he whined. “Want to touch...”

“Shh...trust me. Okay? We're going to go nice and slow. Just stay still.”

Sniffing slightly, Bodhi finally let himself relax, though his arms stayed tense. He nodded before licking his lip. “What if I can't?”

“You can. Just for a bit longer. You're being so good,” he said as he pressed him harder into the bed.

Cassian's heart sped up at the little hiccuping sob that escaped Bodhi, lips returning to following their trail down his legs; he purposefully stayed away from his cock, keeping his touches light and teasing. It delighted him to find those spots that made him twist away, choked off giggles letting him know he had found a ticklish spot he could exploit later. It bothered him that he had never taken the time to learn these things before. Releasing his hands, he whispered his praise when Bodhi kept his hands still. He felt around for the bottle, lips sucking a bruise into his inner thigh; he couldn't stop his own groan when Bodhi lifted his legs upon hearing the cap click open.

“Good boy,” he whispered as he worked his way back up, fingers of his right hand carefully working him open.

Bodhi was squirming without control now, a steady stream of pleas falling from his lips. “Cassian! Hurry!” He was gasping, spreading his legs further apart as he impatiently pushed against his fingers.

“None of that,” Cassian admonished, pinching lightly at his side. “I set the pace.”

“I can't—please. I can't wait.”

“Yes you can. You're so good to me, aren't you?”

Bodhi sobbed and threw his head back. “Cass!”

“I've got you.” He leaned back, pulling his fingers free. He wasted no time in rolling the condom on and adding more lube. “Just let go. You can move your hands now, if you need to.” Leaning forward for another kiss, Cassian began the slow slide in.

Crying out, Bodhi wrapped his arms and legs around him, pulling his as close as he could. He tried to encourage him to move faster but Cassian held himself in check, keeping his thrust slow but deep. Bodhi was too far gone to hear the litany of words pouring from Cassian's mouth, a mixture of praises and tender words; somewhere in the mix of English and Spanish, he recognized the phrase “good boy” and “my love”. Try as he might, he was unable to hurry him along, not even when he rolled his hips up to meet him.

Cassian kept kissing him between words, driving his hips forward as slowly as he could manage; he put as much force as he could behind each thrust, rewarded finally with a keening wail from Bodhi as his fingers dug into his back. “Come for me, my love,” he whispered as he snaked his hand between them. It took only one pull on his cock before Bodhi came undone, clenching tight around him with a sob as Cassian continued his slow roll toward completion.

As he came down from his own high, Cassian kissed his forehead. He pulled out as gently as he could, though he did earn another whine as he pulled away. “Just relax. Fuck Bodhi, that was amazing.” He leaned in for another kiss before rolling off the bed and heading for the bathroom.

Groaning, Bodhi reached for him. “Where are you going?”

“To clean up. I'll be right back.”

“Why are you being so mean tonight?”

“I'm not being mean,” Cassian called from the bathroom. He quickly disposed of the condom and reached for a washcloth. “If you want to see mean, we can negotiate something later,” he called while wringing it out.

“You are mean,” Bodhi sniffed as he rejoined him on the bed. He closed his eyes tight as Cassian started to wipe him down. “You always get up after. You never stay and snuggle with me.”

“Is that what you want?” Cassian asked softly.

“Kind of. Maybe. I mean, yeah.” Bodhi wiped at his eye, blinking as he stared at Cassian. “I really love what we do. I love having sex with you, but it just feels, I don't know...it feels like once we're done we're done. And that's fine, but, I like being held. I like being close after.”

Cassian set the cloth aside and laid beside him, pulling his close. “Maybe we should discuss this when you're more alert.”

“No, now.” Bodhi wrapped his arms tight around his chest.

Sighing, Cassian nuzzled his nose into his hair. “Growing up, relaxing into a space was a luxury. And even after, for years, I've had to be ready to move at a moments notice. So for me, it's better to clean up first and relax after. If I hurt you, I didn't intend it, but I'm probably not going to be able to change that.”

Bodhi snuggled closer, voice muffled against Cassian's skin. “Maybe,” he mumbled, fighting to keep his eyes open, “maybe we should grab the cloth first then next time. Compromise.”

Chuckling softly, Cassian gave him a squeeze. “Sounds like an excellent idea. I told you I liked just how smart you were.” He soothed his hand down his back until he felt Bodhi's breathes even out. It was only after he knew he was asleep that Cassian allowed himself to close his eyes.

* * *

The sound of Cassian's ringtone woke Bodhi up with a start. Cursing softly, he rolled away and dragged a pillow over his head as the lamp beside the bed switched on. He only half listened to Cassian's conversation, muffled through the stuffing.

“Where was he?” There was a long pause before Cassian sighed. “How long? Good. Proceed as planned. Has Kestrel contacted you? Then maintain silence on that front. Call me once it's settled. Until then, I want no contact.”

Bodhi rolled onto his back once he heard him set his phone on the dresser. “How much time until you leave?” he asked, pillow still pressed tight to his face.

Cassian pulled it away with a smirk. “I don't. This is nothing they need me for.”

Stretching, Bodhi rolled to press himself close to Cassian again. “So...you're still going to be mine for a few more hours?”

“So it seems.” Cassian laughed as Bodhi burrowed into his side. “Feeling needy?”

“You have no idea.” Yawning, Bodhi traced a pattern lightly across his skin. “Want to tell me what's going on?”

“It's best if you don't know.”

“So you've said.” He sighed. “I could just try and guess it, you know.”

“I'm sure you could figure it out if you really tried.” Cassian brushed his hair from his face, slowly blinking as he debated his words. “There is a bit of a power struggle going on right now. Someone that I used to work for has been expanding their territory and they've been causing some problems for months now.”

“And I take it it's gotten worse,” Bodhi mumbled, trying not to be lolled back to sleep as by Cassian's gentle touches.

“We've been trying to figure out just how far they've come. Which is why Jyn has been absent lately.”

“And why I've been delivering less messages this week? No new information?”

“My wonderful, clever boy. Yes. I have friends in some high places and we often trade necessary information.”

Bodhi wiggled until he could see Cassian's face without having to sit up. “And what does this have to do with me? Am I in any danger?”

Cassian hesitated. “You might be, if we don't proceed cautiously. Right now, it looks as if they don't know who you are. They know I've been seeing someone, but not who. Jyn's job is to keep it that way.” He met Bodhi's eyes, looking more tired than he had ever seen him. “Right now, unless you dig deep, there is no record that we have ever met. Jyn has been burying that trail.”

“So...we can't be seen together? In public?”

“I never said that.” Cassian nudged him into a sitting position, eyes serious. “I still want to take you on dates, but we might have to hold off on where and when. Just until I know for sure what's going to happen. I won't fully promise that I can keep you safe, but I will do everything I can to protect you. Do you trust me?”

“Oh course.” Bodhi held his hand up before Cassian could speak. “I do. I know you think I shouldn't say that so easily, but I really do. And I'm not exactly helpless. I did learn self defense growing up. Mum was always afraid of kidnappers, so she made us take lessons. My brother mostly used them as lessons on how to beat the shit out of me though.”

Cassian smiled, though his eyes remained sad. “I'll have Jyn run you through a refresher course once she's free.”

“Does any of this have anything to do with why Luke's dad wasn't very pleased to see you?” he asked shrewdly.

Dropping his eyes, Cassian nodded. “He recognized us immediately, which isn't surprising. One of my old bosses had a—well, we'll just call it an obsession—with Vader. It didn't end well for my boss and in the power struggle that followed his fall, the organization split into several factions and Jyn and I found ourselves in an even tighter spot.” Without seeming to realize it, Cassian had begun to rub his hand across a scar on his right wrist.

Bodhi reached for his arm, halting his actions. “You don't have to tell me.”

“But I should. It might...”

“How'd you get away?”

He gave a bitter laugh. “It wasn't easy. Jyn and I had our work cut out for us. That's why we're so close. For so long I had no one else. Not anyone that I dared let get close. Until you.” He lifted his arm to look at the scar more closely. “I won't let that man ever get close to you.”

Bodhi watched the different emotions play across his face before he wrestled them back under his control. “What can I do to help?” he asked softly.

“Just be you.”

“Cassian.”

“I mean it.” Cassian took his hands. “Just...help me remember who I am if things get worse. I won't ask you to stay if they do, I would never force you to choose this kind of life. But, as long as you're here, just remind me that I'm not always who I think I am.”

“If it's what I see in your eyes, you aren't that person. You've had to make some decisions that you might not always be proud of, but you're still you. I'd like to think I've been right so far. And you should ask me.” He smiled at Cassian's puzzled look. “To stay. Because I'll keep saying yes.”

“Then you might be a fool,” he playful teased, some of the light returning to his eyes.

“Yes, but I'm your fool, so watch it.” Bodhi leaned in for a kiss. “Now then, you look like you haven't slept at all and I can't allow that. I say we go back to sleep until the sun at least comes up. It is entirely too early right now.”

“I slept,” Cassian said, giving him a look.

“What, like five minutes? How are you so alert right now?”

“It's just something you learn,” Cassian said, pulling Bodhi down to lay across him. “Comes in handy sometimes.”

“Still. Try and sleep.”

“Is that an order?”

“Why Cassian, how could I give you an order?” Bodhi asked innocently, eyes wide. “I thought you were the one in charge?” He giggled as Cassian swore softly under his breath.

* * *

Cassian was reading something on his phone while Bodhi on his laptop. “Hey,” Bodhi called from his seat on the floor, leaning back from the coffee table. “What are the odds you're free for the new year?”

Cassian raised an eyebrow. “Don't know. Why do you ask?”

“Because my father gave me a choice to either spend Christmas with them or new years eve and I chose new years since that only requires about five hours of visiting time instead of two days. And since he knows about us, he wants you to come along. Assuming you want to.”

Staring at him over his phone, Cassian blinked slowly. “And would you want me there?”

Bodhi shrugged. “Look, I'm happy that I don't have to lie anymore, but I don't want to be there, much less force you to. But I am required to attend and since they think you own an investigation business, it would be easy for me to make an excuse if you don't want to go.”

“It'll depend on work, obviously.”

“Obviously. I'll put down one guest.”

“Where would it be at?”

Bodhi hesitated. “It's local.” He bit his lip. “You ever heard of the Loft?”

“That ultra exclusive club at the top of one of the skyscrapers downtown?”

“Yeah. Dad loves it, so he usually rents it out and throws a huge party there for all his friends and business partners. Mum hates it, so she only shows up for an hour or so. I'll probably need to borrow a suit again, since there will be a strict dress code.” He ducked his head away when he caught Cassian's look.

“Bodhi,” he asked, keeping his voice soft, “just how much money does your family have?”

“Enough,” he whispered.

“And you?”

“Technically very little. My dad set up an account for emergencies for me, but if I use any of it I'm required to spend time with them, so I don't touch it. I was, however, grandma's favorite and she set up a trust fund that I can't access until I'm thirty. I'm sure Jyn's figured it all out before this. Nothing seems private around her.”

Humming, Cassian went back to his phone. “What if I'm not free?”

“Then I'm sure I can get one of my friends to go instead.”

Cassian had just opened his mouth when his phone started ringing. He smiled in apology as he answered it. “Yes?” His eyes darkened as his jaw clenched. “When? How many? No, hold them. I want to see for myself. I'm on my way.” He dropped his phone and rubbed his head. “Bo, I'm sorry.”

Bodhi shrugged, bland smile barely lifting his lips. “When are you leaving?”

“As soon as I call Bistan.”

Nodding, Bodhi climbed to his feet. “What do you need me to do?”

Cassian still hadn't moved. He sighed. “Upstairs, in the closet in the laundry room there's a bag. Bring it to me, being very careful.”

“The black one?” Bodhi rolled his eyes at Cassian's look. “I saw it when I was putting stuff away the other day. I didn't touch it. Besides, Cass, I know you have guns hidden in the house. I know how to handle them.”

“Another thing I'll need Jyn to check. Bodhi,” he called, before he could walk away. He stood up and held his arms out. “I am sorry. If this wasn't so important, I wouldn't go.”

“Cass, it's fine. I understand. You can just make it up to me later.” He hesitated. “Do you know how long you'll be gone?”

“No, but it might be a while.”

Bodhi nodded. “Call Bistan. I'll get the bag. Just, please check in with me if it's going to be more than a day. Or at least have someone contact me so I know you're okay.”

Cassian held him close. “I will. If I mention Jyn, then contact her for info. If I talk about anything to do with rogue, contact Kay. Do you have his number?” He smiled when Bodhi nodded. “Good. And if I mention mayday in any context, get someplace safe. Understood?”

“Are you really planning to use our safe word in this kind of situation?”

“Got something better in mind?”

“No.” Bodhi reluctantly pulled back. “Make your call.”

He hurried upstairs, trying to pretend that everything was going to be okay. The bag was right where he had last seen it, hidden behind an empty suitcase on the bottom shelf; he resisted the urge to look in it, telling himself that if anything did happen, it would be easier to deny what he knew. By the time he came back down, Bistan was waiting in the doorway as Cassian searched for something in the dining room. He shoved whatever he had found into his pocket and grabbed the bag from Bodhi.

Lifting his hand to cup his check, Cassian pulled Bodhi into a searing kiss. “I really am sorry.”

“It's fine. Go. I'll be waiting when you get back.”

“Go and spend the holidays with your friends if you can.”

Bodhi snorted, arms wrapping around his waist. “Seeing as I have very few good memories about this time of year, I'd rather spend them working. You, though. I need you to stay safe and come back. Promise me?”

Cassian hesitated. “I don't know if I can,” he whispered.

“You'd better. I will make that an order.”

“I'll do my best.” He kissed his again before pulling away.

“I love you,” Bodhi whispered, eyes bright.

“See you soon,” Cassian said, leaning in for one more kiss, his eyes saying what he couldn't.

The door closed with a finality that made Bodhi draw in a deep breath. He tried to tell himself that there was nothing to worry about, that Cassian would be fine. If only he could believe it.


	19. Chapter 19

Bodhi had just settled into the corner booth with his burger and fries when his phone pinged at him. He eagerly unlocked it, grinning as he saw a photo from Luke (though in the back of his head he was disappointed that it wasn't from Cassian).

LS: Obligatory twin photo

Hitting save, Bodhi laughed at the selfie of the twins, Luke rocking the duck lips with his arm wrapped across her shoulders while Leia rolled her eyes. They were dressed up; Luke had semi-styled his hair for once, rather than letting it hang loose. With the beige suit and vest and carefully knotted charcoal tie, he looked as if he had stepped out of a photo shoot, though the flush on his cheeks suggested that the glass he held was not his first champagne of the night. Leia was equally splendid in flowing white gown accented with silver jewelry and belt, hair braided and twisted up around her head.

BR: Very chic. I'm actually jealous. You two are very handsome

LS: Flattery might get you something

LS: You should have come. We miss you

BR: Dude, I make a killing near the airport on nights like this. I'm good.

BR: Besides, wasn't this family only?

LS: Dick. What do you think you fucking are?

Rolling his eyes, Bodhi ate his fries as Luke sent him another pic, this time taken candidly from afar.

LS: Even uncle “Ben” showed up. I'm pretty sure he and my parents fucked at some point but I'm not drunk enough to try and figure it out

Bodhi studied the picture, snorting as he recognized the blushing Anakin Skywalker, leaning casually against a gray haired gentleman. It must have been Ben. His arm was wrapped around Anakin's waist, hand resting lightly low on his hip as he showed both him and Padme something in a book. Padme was laughing, leaning against Anakin's other side.

BR: Definitely fucked. Think you dad was in the middle?

LS: DUDE!!! STOP! I don't ever want to think about my parents sex life!

LS: I hate you and I'm never speaking to you again. I'm also burning my phone.

BR: Wimp. At least your parents like each other.

BR: And that hand is definitely in the friends with benefits range

LS: Seriously dude, I need brain bleach

BR: You sent the pic. Live with it.

He hurried through his burger, figuring he could get a couple more rides in before he called it a night. Last minute travelers would have few other options this late at night.

LS: Leia just took my drink away!!! I'm crying!

BR: Fight her

LS: Dude, she'd break me

BR: sucks to be you

LS: rude

Bodhi rolled his eyes as he threw his trash away and headed for his car. He loved his friend, even when he was being melodramatic, but there was a time and place for everything. Right now, he needed to keep busy. He double checked that he had locked his doors before opening his app. Paranoia could be a healthy thing, right? Sighing, he backed out and started driving. He'd think about that more later.

* * *

His phone ringing woke him up with a start late on Sunday. Yawning, he reached for his phone, cursing as it fell and landed under the bed. He leaned over, flailing for it before yelping as he slid off onto the floor.

Bodhi rubbed his shoulder as he unlocked the screen. He didn't recognize the number. “Hello?”

“I seriously thought I had trained you better than this,” Jyn tired voice said, muffled against the street noises around her. “Why are you answering an unknown number?”

“Jyn? Is everything okay? Where's Cassian?”

“Working.” She paused as a truck honked as it passed. Bodhi flinched, pulling the phone away from his ear. “I've only received one message from him. Apparently I'm being reassigned. Can I trouble you for a pick up?”

Bodhi frowned. “You don't have to ask. What do you need delivered?”

“Nothing. Just come open the door in about ten minutes.”

Rubbing his face, he started to reach for his clothes before pausing. “Wait. Don't you have a key?” The only response he got was his phone disconnecting. Sighing, he quickly got dressed and hurried downstairs. He opened the door to find her standing with her hand raised to knock. Leveling a look at her, he muttered, “did you really need me to do that?”

She shrugged. “It's polite. Besides, Cassian hates when I just walk in uninvited.”

Bodhi snorted as she set a bag on the coffee table before dropping onto the couch. “Has that ever stopped you before?”

Jyn patted the cushion beside her. “Nope. Here. Come eat with me. I brought tamales in honor of the belated holidays.”

“I'll grab plates,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Want to tell me where you've been all this time?”

“No.”

Huffing, he shoved a plate into her hand and settled in, nodding his thanks as she handed him food. “You know that Cassian had a meeting here, right? I was a bit surprised you didn't show up.”

“Yes, well, I was busy. I do have a life outside of Cassian.” She unwrapped a pork one and ate half of it in one bite, ignoring the fork Bodhi held out for her. “God, I missed these. Cass and I used to get these every year for Christmas. Remember Mario? His mom knows all the best places to get tamales. They usually only take orders around this time; I practically had to sell my soul for these.”

“Like you have one.” It pleased him to hear her snort. “Jyn. Don't change the subject. If you can't talk, just tell me that, okay?”

She elbowed him softly in the side. “Cass will tell you about it when he gets back. For now, he wants you to know that he's okay, but he's going to be without his phone for a while. He'll be fine,” Jyn said, noticing Bodhi's worried expression.

“What's happening? Can't you tell me anything?”

“Later. Please?” She quickly scarfed down another, not meeting his eyes. “I haven't slept in days, much let eaten anything. Let me rest and then we'll talk. I promise.”

Bodhi sighed. “No you won't. It's fine. You'll tell me someday. For now, I'll go fix up one of the spare bedrooms real quick.”

“I can just use one of the other apartments.”

Bodhi started to nod again before frowning. “What other apartments?”

Swallowing her latest bite, Jyn grinned at him. “Cassian never told you? He owns this complex. All these buildings? They belong to him. Well, us, really. We're co-owners. Bought fair and square years ago and improved upon over time. I've made him keep the apartments on this floor empty, as well as the one directly below—for security reasons. Whoever is guarding him usually stays in one of them, Bistan being the most permanent resident right now since our second in command is working hard elsewhere.” She laughed. “I can't believe you never noticed there's no neighbors.”

Huffing, Bodhi crossed his arms over his chest. “I'm usually a little preoccupied when I'm here.”

“Obviously.” Jyn stretched as she set her plate aside. “Of course, we've made sure that no one knows he's the owner, not even the people working here. So, if you'll excuse me, I'll be next door.”

“Jyn, it's fine. You can stay here. I'm assuming Cassian isn't coming home anytime soon?”

She bit her lip. “Probably not.”

“Then please stay. I'm fine with having roommates, obviously.” He didn't mention that he was having a hard time sleeping in the empty apartment lately, his thoughts racing each night.

She seemed to know what he meant. “Fine, I'll take the room across the hall in a bit. I'm too tired to get up right now.”

“You okay?” he asked, suddenly concerned.

Jyn nodded, leaning back against the cushions. “I'm not hurt. Just tired. I've been following leads almost nonstop for weeks now. Later,” she added, catching Bodhi's look. Once he nodded, she leaned against his shoulder and closed her eyes. “Told Cass you'd be good for him. Don't prove me wrong.”

Bodhi let her sleep for almost an hour before he made her head upstairs. “Go lay down before you hurt your neck.”

She mumbled something that he couldn't catch as she stood up. “Stay in tonight,” she said around a yawn as she hit the stairs. “We have things we need to do tomorrow bright and early.”

“Such as?” he asked, feeling nervous.

“If I tell you, you'll just try and disappear before then.”

“What makes you think I won't anyway?”

“I put a tracker on you.”

“You did not.”

“Want to find out?”

Bodhi said nothing as she walked away. He almost believed her, since in his mind it was a very Jyn thing to do. Almost.

Okay. Maybe he believed her a lot.

* * *

The smell of bacon woke him up earlier than he had planned. He stretched out across the bed, missing Cassian more than ever. For a long time after, he lay watching the sunlight play across the ceiling until his stomach rumbling drove him out of bed.

“Morning sleepyhead,” Jyn said without looking away from the stove. “I was wondering when you'd get up. I told you we had an early start.”

“Well, seeing as I usually work nights now, dawn is a bit overrated.” He yawned, nodding his thanks as she pushed a coffee cup toward him. “What's so important that we're up with the sun?”

“Cassian sent me a list of things that I need to do for you. I'm to evaluate what you know in regards to self defense, set up a safety check-in for you, take you clothes shopping; maybe even hit a shooting range if we have time.” She scooped the food onto the plates before pointing the spatula at him. “Grab me a cup of coffee and we can eat. We need to leave by eight.”

Bodhi frowned as he complied. “I have plenty of clothes. And besides, most stores aren't going to open until later.”

“Cassian specifically wanted you to have a suit made. I'm taking you to a friend that's promised to come in early for us so we don't have to deal with other customers.”

“And how am I supposed to pay for any of this?” he asked, picking at his food. “I don't exactly have the money for a suit right now.”

“Don't worry about that. Cassian's paying. And before you get your panties in a twist,” Jyn said, stabbing her fork at him, “at some point Cassian is probably going to be taking you places with him, so you need to dress the part. Think of it as helping his reputation if that makes a difference.”

“It doesn't,” he muttered. Pushing back from the table with a sigh, he gestured toward his sweats and shirt. “Will this please you or shall I dress up for this trip?”

Jyn shrugged. “Like I give a shit. As long as you think you can move comfortably in that, it's fine by me. Just make sure you don't have holes in your underwear in case Wilson makes you strip. Oh, and also think about what colors you'll want. We'll be getting everything and I don't want to have to go back. I fucking hate shopping.”

Bodhi picked up his mug, pausing with it halfway raised. “Wait. You said 'made'. Are you serious?”

She nodded. “Welcome to the big leagues, Pilot. You're officially one of us now.”

* * *

Bodhi stood on a stool in the middle of the backroom of Best Man, surrounded by racks upon racks of designer suits whose worth could have kept him comfortable for years to come. He tried not to shiver in the cool air as he stood in just his socks and boxers, doing his best to ignore Jyn and Wilson as they spoke as if he didn't exist.

Jyn was lounging in a chair, cup of coffee in hand while Wilson glared at him, arms crossed over his chest. “He's awfully skinny.”

“We're working on that.”

Huffing, he turned toward the table next to her and picked up a measuring tape. “Fine. I'll go a size or two larger and just take it in more. That way we won't have to re-size too quickly. Any particular style?”

“Use your judgment, you know what the Captain likes.” She shrugged. “Whatever will fit him best.”

“I'm standing right here,” Bodhi muttered, teeth clenched. “And why am I practically naked when I know for a fact that this isn't necessary?”

“Perk of the job,” Wilson said as he approached. “Arms up and out please.”

Bodhi allowed himself to relax, eyes closed as he listened to the tailor scribbling notes and numbers onto a piece of paper. Memories of being five came back, and of nanny number four (they rarely lasted long thanks to his mother and her whims) pinching his calf hard when he had started squirming after hours of trying clothes on so they could be taken in or let out according to reasons he could not understand. “Move one more time and I will let them stick you full of pins,” she had whispered, face twisted up in disgust. “And don't think I won't tell your mother what a horrible little brat you're being later.” He had been glad when she had been fired less than a month later after the cook had overheard her bad mouthing Bodhi's mother to the maid.

When clothes were finally handed to him, he dutifully pulled them on, turning when prompted. Jyn would throw out comments once in a while to which Wilson would say something snarky back. After several changes, Wilson patted his leg. “Down. I think I know which styles to pick for you. Now it just comes down to color. Anything you won't wear?”

“Brown,” Bodhi said, remembering his uncle's horrid brown suit that made it's yearly appearance before his mother banned him from the house. “White. Green.”

“Please, with your skin tone? What do you take me for?” Wilson disappeared from the room. They could hear him searching through the stockroom before he returned pushing a rolling rack. “Start with this. The sizing is going to be off, so just tell me about the style and color. I'll deal with the fit after.”

Bodhi frowned as he moved the suits around. Even one of these was out of his budget. He glanced at Jyn, who held up three fingers without looking up from her phone. Sighing, he pulled out a navy one before rejecting it for a charcoal gray suit. Setting it aside, he pushed around several black ones before settling on one that was similar to the one Cassian had lent him.

“One more,” Jyn said.

Rolling his eyes, he started to reach for the first navy one when his hand hesitated. He gently pulled out a brighter blue one, looking at it with longing. He jumped as Jyn reached around him to grab it; he had never heard her move.

“What color would you call this?” she asked, holding it up against him.

“Royal sapphire,” Wilson said. He handed Bodhi a dress shirt. “It's practically made for him.”

While Bodhi was buttoning up the shirt, Jyn pulled out two more suits and set them aside. “I want the three he picked to be tailored to him exactly. These two can look like they came off the rack.”

“Bite your tongue,” Wilson scolded. “Nothing from my shop will ever look like it's 'off the rack'. I do have standards, you know.”

The gray and the black suit he fitted quickly, pinning and marking in almost a blur. He held fabric samples up to each one, making note of shirt colors on the same paper as before. “Put the blue one on. I have to open soon.”

He dressed quickly, studying his reflection in the mirrors. The suit seemed to glow, the color bright yet subtle. As Wilson hemmed the pants, he squared his shoulders and smoothed his hands down the jacket. He smiled as it was taken in until it seemed to have been made exclusively for him. Once the pins were in place, he turned toward Jyn. “Well?”

She snapped a picture of him, grinning. “You definitely won't be wearing that long once he sees you in it.”

“Then I'd call it a success,” Wilson said, gesturing for him to take it off. “Should I assume this is a priority?”

“As soon as you can please.”

“As always.” He called out a greeting to someone as they opened the main door out in the lobby. “I'll call you as soon as they're done. In the meantime, on your way out Mary can help you with ties and accessories if you need them. Or I can pick a few things if you want.”

“Just pick them. We need to be going.”

Wilson nodded. “A pleasure as always. Tell your boss to stop in for a new fitting someday when he has the time.”

Jyn waved goodbye as she herded Bodhi out to the car. She refused to talk to him until they parked in the alley behind Baze and Chirrut's place. She frowned when she caught his expression. “What?”

“That was easily a few thousand dollars on suits. What am I going to owe for them?”

“Nothing,” she huffed, rolling her eyes. “I already told you that you represent Cassian. Just accept this as a gift. And if that bothers you, then think of it as a uniform until you no longer work for us.”

“So if I end this, break it off, can I expect a severance package? Or will I just be left to die in a ditch somewhere?”

Jyn turned to fully stare at him. It reminded him of the first night, in the same alley when she had pulled the gun on him. “Cassian wouldn't allow that. If you want to end things, then that's the end of it. It goes no further.”

“And what about you?”

“What I suggest in regards to you will not change Cassian's mind, in case you haven't noticed. I would not stop you unless I felt that you were going to betray us. And then you'd find that I hold just as much power as Cassian does. But I don't think that's you, now is it Bodhi?”

Bodhi snorted and rolled his eyes. “If I didn't turn you in for that stunt on Halloween, why would I now? I'm kind of caught up in this.”

“Then why ask?”

“Because I wanted to know the truth. I'm a liability, aren't I? I'm the weak link.”

Jyn pursed her lips, thinking carefully before haltingly saying, “a bit. But that's what I'm trying to prevent. I know you won't do anything to intentionally hurt Cassian, but others might try and use you to get to him. Which is why I've brought you here.”

Bodhi's eyebrow shot up into his hairline. “To a restaurant?”

Jyn's grin was practically feral. “You'll see.”

* * *

Bodhi let out a yelp as his back hit the mat with enough force to jar his bones. He wheezed as he tried to lift his arms up to give Jyn the timeout signal.

“Hold up,” Baze said, stepping forward. “You alright?”

Eyes closed tight, he tried to nod. “Think so. I just need to sit for a moment. Catch my breath.”

“Then maybe you should actually sit up,” Baze said with amusement. He grabbed his hand and pulled him upright.

“Fucking hell,” Bodhi moaned, rubbing the back of his head. “Was that really necessary?”

“If you had been paying attention, you'd have been able to dodge that,” Jyn said, unconcerned. “Up until the end there, your reflexes were pretty good.”

“Could be better,” Baze said, holding out a bottle of water. “We can work on that. His punches weren't too bad.”

“They were sloppy and you know it.”

Shrugging, Baze helped Bodhi to his feet. “He's got a pretty good understanding of what he's supposed to do. I think he just needs some further guidance.”

Scowling, Bodhi pushed him to the side. “You know, I'm getting pretty sick of everyone talking about me as if I'm not here today.” He ducked as Jyn threw a towel at his head.

“Enough, both of you. Bodhi, sit down for a moment, let me check you out.”

“I'm fine,” he muttered.

“Probably, but let me do it anyway. You don't get a choice.” Once he had him sitting comfortably, Baze reached under the bench for a first aid kit. Bodhi's eyebrow shot up as he took in the variety of items in it. Baze smiled, shrugging. “There's a better one in the next room. This is only for minor injuries. Jyn should be quite familiar with the other one.”

She scoffed, arms crossed over her chest. “I think you mean Cassian should be, since he's the one that needs it more. I'm smart enough to avoid injury.”

“Didn't seem that way last week.” Baze held up a penlight. “Okay, let's make sure you don't have a concussion.”

“I'm fine, though I'm going to have some amazing bruises,” Bodhi said, flinching away from the light. Baze caught his chin and held it tight, moving the light around.

“Looks alright. Just a few small scrapes. I'll give you an ibuprofen with lunch. Chirrut should be back by then.”

Jyn grabbed his arm as he started searching for the proper sized bandage. “He needs to practice more.”

“And he will, but not today,” Baze said, giving her a look. “Let me come up with a schedule and we'll start in a few days. In case you forgot, this is my vacation time.”

Huffing, Jyn stalked from the room, slamming the door behind her.

Baze chuckled. “She's in a mood lately.”

“I think it might be about me,” Bodhi said, biting his lip as Baze spread antibacterial ointment on a cut.

“More like it's about Cassian.” Baze nodded shrewdly. “I'm aware of what's going on. He told me he might need you to come stay here if something goes wrong. You ever get that second phone?”

Nodding, Bodhi pointed toward the boots he had kicked off upon entering. “There's a compartment in the heel that it fits into. Luke got me those for when we used to go to concerts a lot.”

“Good. Make sure it stays on you. Just remember, you can come here for any reason. We have friends and can protect you if you need it. Same with Kay. Tell him the word and he'll get you far away from here.”

“I thought Kay worked for Cassian?”

“It's a bit complicated.” Baze finished with the bandages and closed the kit. “They go pretty far back, but Kay will do his job before he does Cassians. You can trust him. His people skills might be shit, but he's a good guy.” Baze stood up and held out his hand. “I agree with Jyn that you should learn better defense skills but I think it shouldn't take too long. You seem fairly competent. We can practice a few things later if you'd like, or else we can set up a time for later. I'm thinking maybe twice a week.”

Bodhi let him pull him upright. “For how long?”

“Well, Jyn won't hold back, so we won't try to beat her.” Baze pondered it as they went down the stairs. “How about until you can hold your own against Chirrut?”

“Is that fair?”

Baze laughed. “Don't worry. He'll go easy on you. He's been training people in hands only self defense for years. Plus he used to be in special ops years ago. Why do you think we have that room set up? When he's not being irritating he's in there training.”

“Oh, I am seriously in over my head,” Bodhi moaned.

* * *

Bodhi was adjusting his bow tie one last time when Leia pushed him away from the mirror. “Why are boys so vain? Let's go.”

“Maybe I should have worn something different,” Bodhi said, worrying his lip. He tug at the bottom of the blue suit jacket, feeling a bit sick.

“Absolutely not. Look, I know you don't want to go tonight, but it's a formal affair. This suit is perfect and if what Jyn said was true, he'd have wanted you to wear it. We'll just have to take lots of pictures for you to send later.” She leaned forward and tilted her head, checking that her elaborate braid and bun was still secured in the golden clasp. In her blue off the shoulder dress, she looked every inch the princess that Jyn had called her while dropping Bodhi off. She adjusted her gold necklace before holding her arm out. “I think we make an amazing couple. Shall we?”

Bodhi dutifully kissed her cheek as she leaned toward him. “Thank you for being my date tonight. Jyn laughed when I asked her and Luke was busy with Wedge.”

“Any time. Besides, with me there, your brother won't even notice you.”

Laughing, Bodhi held the door open for her. In the driveway of the complex, a nondescript car sat idling, a man in a plain suit standing by the door. “That looks really expensive.”

“Knowing my aunt, it is. Hello Ray.” Leia broke into a grin and stood on the tips of her toes to kiss the man's cheek; even then, he had to bend down for her to reach.

“Still as short as ever, eh? Small but fierce.” He laughed as she mimed punching him.

“Bodhi, this is Raymus Antilles, head of the Organa security team. Ray, this is Bodhi Rook, one of my friends.”

“Hello,” Bodhi said, nervously waving.

Raymus nodded and held the back door open for them. “I'm to escort you two tonight. You're mother's orders. Um, well—”

“It's fine,” Leia said. “Mom, aunt, it's all the same at this point. Will she be attending?”

“No. Bail will be there though. He's with alpha team right now.” He gestured for the chauffeur to start driving.

Bodhi leaned close to Leia in the back. “I can't believe we met each other as kids and didn't even know it.”

“Think old Benji still remembers when I gave him the black eye?”

“God I hope so,” Bodhi said, snorting.

They fell into a companionable silence, broken now and again by Ray turning to tell Leia some news about the Organa side of the family. Bodhi kept checking his phone, wishing that a text from Cassian would suddenly appear. It had been over a week since he had last heard from him. Leia picked up on what he was doing and reached for his hand, squeezing it. Grateful, he squeezed it back.

True to form, his father had gone all out yet again. The Loft was already elegant looking, with it's black marble and crystal features; on the stage opposite the french doors leading out onto the rooftop patio a sixteen piece band played for a singer in a flowing black dress studded with rhinestones. Tables lined the sides while waiters carried trays of food and drink around. An open bar stood in the corner, already the most popular place in the room. The whole thing must have cost a fortune; it made Bodhi tired just to look at it.

“Bodhi! You actually came,” Walden said, hurrying over to hug him. He turned to Leia, eyebrows rising up into his hair. “And with such a beautiful date. How is it that every time I see you, the girls get prettier and prettier. Hello my dear, I'm Walden Rook.”

“Hello Mr. Rook. I do believe we've met before. Leia Organa. I'm Bail's sometimes daughter. We met when I was little.”

Walden's eyes lit up. “Of course! Now I remember you. You made quite an impression on everyone that night. Did you go into politics like your parents?”

“Not quite like them,” she said with a laugh.

“Bodhi, don't tell me you're pretending to date this one too,” Walden scolded, trying to keep his voice light but failing.

“No, dad, she's just a friend. My boyfriend couldn't make it. Work.”

Walden frowned at him but let it go. “I would like to meet him at some point but I'll drop it for now. Dinner will be informal; just have a seat and someone will come take your order. Drinks are never ending, unless they cut you off—apparently they've had some problems recently, which truly is a shame. It's so much easier to talk people into investing money when they're wasted. We should have a nice view of the fireworks at midnight though, so that's a plus.”

Leia smacked Bodhi's hand as he reached for a passing glass. “You promised,” she hissed.

Sighing, he rolled his eyes. “Fine. I'll wait.”

“I see you have a type,” Walden laughed. “Just like that last one. Dawn was it? Didn't feel like bringing her?”

“She didn't want to have to deal with—” Bodhi groaned as he felt an arm wrap around his shoulders. “With him.”

“So, little boogie decided to make an appearance. How's the face little bro? Did your man dump you once he realized you weren't pretty anymore?”

“You know what—”

“Boys! That will be enough,” Walden said, voice cold. “If I hear one more insult or petty taunt come out of either of you, whoever spoke will find themselves cut off permanently. Is that clear?”

“Yes sir,” they both mumbled. Their father's voice had left no room for an argument. Ben scowled at Bodhi before he caught sight of Leia.

“Well hello. What's something as gorgeous as you doing with someone like boogie here?”

Leia's smile was tight, arms crossing over her chest. “Why Benji, don't you remember me? Because my fist certainly remembers your face. Didn't you cry when I punched you? Looks like you still haven't grown up.”

Benjamin's eyes darkened before he laughed, trying to pretend he didn't understand. “Sure I remember you...Lea?”

“Leia,” Walden mumbled around his wine glass, eyes twinkling.

“Leia, right. You used to have that really stupid hairdo. I remember. But that's all in the past. We should go out sometime, reconnect.”

Leia's eyebrows rose, lips a thin line. “Go jump off a cliff.”

“Really, Benjamin, that was quite rude.” A beautiful woman in a wine red dress stalked up and wrapped her arm around Ben's. She frowned at him before turning toward Leia. “I'm so sorry. It appears as if some men don't truly understand how to talk to women.”

Leia raised an eyebrow but shook the offered hand. “It's fine. We go way back. And you are?”

“I'm Qi'ra.” She laughed as she noticed Bodhi's face. “Well, if it isn't my driver from the airport. Bodhi, wasn't it? It truly is a small world.”

Stammering a greeting, he felt a sudden unexplained panic taking over. Qi'ra's eyes seemed to bore into him, her smile not quite meeting her eyes.

“Really?” Walden said, eyes cold as he turned toward Bodhi. “I thought you had a real job now?”

“I, ah, still drive for Uber sometimes. Extra money.” He couldn't meet his father's eyes, knowing that he was going to hear about it later.

“Yes, he was so lovely and helpful. Made the start of this business trip so much more pleasant,” Qi'ra said, adjusting her long sleeves.

“What kind of business are you in?” Leia asked, trying to be polite.

“I'm afraid I can't really discuss that here. I'm merely a representative for my employer. I have a meeting set up with Mr. Rook for next week, so until then I must stay quiet about it. Benjamin here has been showing me around town and has been quite the gentleman.”

Despite himself, Bodhi couldn't stop the snort that escaped. He blushed and ducked his head when Qi'ra noticed and winked at him.

“Yes, that is quite true. In the meantime, please enjoy yourself.” He pointed toward the dance floor as the band started another song. “Why, weren't you telling me earlier that you love to dance? I'm sure Ben here would be happy to oblige.” Walden waved them off, smile dropping once they were out of earshot. “God, why did I ever let him talk me into meeting with her. There's something off about that woman.”

Leia snorted. “I see where Bodhi gets his people instincts.”

“Well one of them had to get some kind of brain cells. Well hello,” Walden said, reaching past Bodhi to shake someone's hand. “You did make it!”

Turning, Bodhi gave an astonished laugh. “What are you doing here?”

“Networking,” Lando said, hugging Bodhi enthusiastically. “This was kind of a last minute invite.”

“Well, I was very impressed with your last proposal. We should definitely talk more.” Walden held his hand out as Han walked up, looking out of place and uncomfortable in his suit and tie. “And this is...?”

“My assistant for the night.”

“Hi, I'm Han.” He awkwardly held his hand out, nodding toward Bodhi. He lunged toward a passing tray and grabbed a flute, downing it in one gulp.

Lando laughed, waiting until Walden turned away for a moment to grab his lapel and pull him in close. “Do not embarrass me tonight, Hand, I will not stand for it. If you want to keep the job I offered, just act normal for once.”

Leia rolled her eyes. “You're asking too much from him, I'm afraid.”

Lando's smile was back in place when Walden turned back to them. “I asked for a private room if you'd like to show me the latest offering. Unless of course you'd like to wait for normal work hours?”

“Not at all. If you're ready for it, so am I. I think you'll find what our company has to offer to be quite beneficial.” He allowed Walden to lead him away, shooting one final glare back at Han before they disappeared into the crowd.

Han rubbed at his face. “Why did I fucking agree to this?” he muttered, looking lost.

“What'd you agree to exactly?” Bodhi asked, only half paying attention. On the dance floor, his brother was trying to say something to Qi'ra; she had plastered a bland smile on her face and while she never fully glanced their way, he felt as if she was watching him. He shifted to his left, using Han's back to block her sight.

“He said he'd pay me to attend tonight as his 'assistant' to help make him look more important. I guess he really wants this deal to go through, if he was desperate enough to use me instead of anyone else.” Shaking his head, he headed for the bar. “I think I need something stronger. How about you two?”

Leia was shaking her head as the song ended and Qi'ra walked up looking annoyed. She quickly smiled as she caught sight of them, making a bee-line toward their end of the bar. “Bodhi, your brother is quite an interesting person.”

“I'd sell him for one corn chip,” he muttered, maneuvering to keep Leia between them. He gave her a look in response to her questioning one. Catching on quickly, she reached over and took Qi'ra's arm, leading her toward a table.

“So, Qi'ra was it? What do you do in this company you can't speak of?”

Qi'ra struggled to keep the frown from her face as she allowed herself to be led away. “A bit of everything, really. I'm not supposed to discuss anything outside of a professional meeting, surely you understand.”

“I'm not sure I do,” Leia said right as Han walked up.

“I got a couple of things. Leia, I got you your favorite wine; they actually had it here. Bodhi, I wasn't sure what you'd want so....” His face paled as Qi'ra turned to stare at him. Gulping, he reached for her slowly, forgetting he was carrying the trio of glasses. Bodhi lunged for them, catching them in time to keep them from spilling.

“Han? Is that you?” She seemed as shocked to see him as he was to see her.

“Qi'ra...what...you're—you're here and I—it's been forever.” He grabbed her swiftly, pulling her into a tight hug. “You're alright. How'd—oh shit! You must hate me.”

Twisting out of his grip, she tugged at her sleeves, pulling them down over a tattoo on her wrist. She smiled, eyes cold and hard. “Now really might not be the best place, Han.”

“No, no, by all means. Please continue,” Leia said, eyeing them. “Pretend we're not here.”

Qi'ra looked between her and Han before huffing and pulling him toward the hall.

“Think I have a reason to feel jealous?” she asked Bodhi, eyes narrowing as they disappeared.

“Probably.” Bodhi jumped as his phone vibrated, glancing at the screen. His heart sped up, recognizing Cassian's number. In his rush to unlock the screen he typed in the wrong code, swearing softly before he finally got it right.

HG: Are you free to talk?

BR: Are you ok?

HG: Yes.

HG: Are you someplace private?

Bodhi gulped, hands shaking as he looked around the room. If he remembered right, there was usually private sitting rooms near the back—there. A few were empty, too.

BR: 5 min. Is that ok?

HG: Yes.

Holding up his phone, he smiled in apology to Leia. “I need to take this. Will you be okay?”

“Go,” she said, waving him off. “I was going to go bug Bail in a bit anyway. Just remember, if you plan to have phone sex, make sure you lock the door.”

Rolling his eyes, he gave her a quick hug. “Love you.”

“Same. Get out of here.” Her snort followed him as he hurried away.

* * *

“Oww!” Han rubbed his chest as Qi'ra pushed him up against the wall near the elevators. “What the hell?”

“What are you doing here?” she asked, eyes scanning across him.

“Helping a friend. What about you? I haven't seen you in forever and this is how you treat me?”

Cocking an eyebrow, she crossed her arms over her chest. “How am I supposed to react? It's been years Han. Was I supposed to act as if no time had passed?”

Looking hurt, Han dropped his head. “I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you then. I tried to come back, I really did. I made it eventually, but you weren't there anymore. No one knew where you'd gone.”

“Did you really think I was going to sit there forever, waiting for you to either save up the money or gain the manpower to fix the problem that you caused in the first place?” She sighed as he curled in further on himself. “Han. I loved you once. I truly did. But I'm not a child anymore. What happened in the tunnels, with the White Worms, that's all in the past. I've moved on from that. You should too.”

“I never wanted to leave you there.”

“I know you didn't.” She took pity on him, gently lifting his face. “I clearly survived. So did you. That's all that matters now. It's over and done. You need to move on.”

Nodding, he drew in a shaky breath. “Can we start over? Try again, maybe?”

“Oh Han.” Qi'ra sighed. “No. We can't. I'm not the same person you once thought I was. There is no going back. Besides, it seems like you have someone in there very interested in you. You might try investing your time with her.”

“I just—what have you been doing all this time?”

“Don't ask questions. You won't like the answers,” she warned, stepping back.

“I just want to know that—” Han froze, eyes widening as he caught the mark on her arm. “Thats—”

Qi'ra glared at him, grabbing his throat. “None of your concern. If you know what's best for you, you will mention this to no one. Understood?”

He stared at her, eyes full of hurt. “Why would you work for him?”

“Because he gave me a chance. He got me out. Did you?”

Hurt, he knocked her hand away. “I said I was coming back and I did. I sold everything I was able to get, jeopardized a career and just about every relationship I had at the time to come get you. What did he do, come in and throw money around like a big shot?”

“Yes. And you know what? I like having money. And power. I quite like it in fact and nothing will change that. Care to keep this argument going?”

Han shook his head, looking disgusted. “No. I guess this is goodbye?”

“It is unless you want back into your old life. I'll be around for a while, if you want that. But nothing else.”

“I'm good, thanks.”

“Oh I'm sure,” Qi'ra said, laughing. “Didn't your car just get repossessed? And aren't you sharing an apartment with three other people while working odd jobs? Sounds like a perfect life.” She rolled her eyes as Han started to sputter. “Yes, I've looked you up. I know all about you and your friends. You're not strong enough to be a threat to anyone. Not anymore.”

“Yeah, well, at least it's mine. I earned it and can be proud of it. Can you say the same thing?”

This time, her smile caused her face to light up. “You always were amusing. I did love that about you, once. Goodbye, Han. Good luck with everything.”

Han watched her walk away. “I won't say anything,” he called, “so long as you leave my friends alone. Can we at least agree on that?” His shoulders dropped when she didn't answer. Some things never changed even if people did.

* * *

Bodhi pulled the door shut on the dark room; after fumbling for the lock, he moved toward a chair by the window. The moon cast enough light for him to see as he settled in, already dialing Cassian's number. He answered on the second ring.

“Bodhi.”

It was barely a whisper, his voice tight and withdrawn.

“Cassian. Are you okay? Are you hurt? I've been worried, even though Jyn said you were okay. I just—please tell me the truth.”

“I'm fine,” Cassian said, sounding far from it. “I'm just tired.”

Bodhi clutched the phone tighter to his ear. “Are you coming home soon?”

“I don't know. We have to wait a bit more.”

“Where are you?”

There was a long moment of silence before Cassian sighed. “Don't ask me that, my love. The less you know, the better.”

“But you're not hurt. And everyone else is okay?”

“Yes. Those that matter at least.”

“Okay. Good.” Bodhi blew out a shaky breath, fighting back his emotions. “I miss you so much,” he whispered.

“I know. I...I miss you too. That's why I called, even though I shouldn't have. I just...” There was another long pause. “I needed to hear your voice.”

The raw need in his voice made Bodhi squeeze his eyes closed. “I'll stay on as long as you need me to.”

The silence stretched between them, filled only with the soft sounds of Cassian breathing into the phone. “Tell me.”

“About what?”

“Anything. I just want....”

Smiling, Bodhi leaned back in the chair. “Of course. There's a lot of stars out tonight,” he said, staring out the window. “They're so bright. Have you ever heard the stories behind the constellations? Did you know that the first recorded passages about the constellations are from stone tablets taken from what used to be Mesopotamia? They were written down around one thousand BC. And that Sirius, the dog star, once marked the start of summer for the Romans while in Polynesian cultures it meant that winter had arrived.” He giggled softly. “I, ah—I couldn't sleep the other night, so I was looking things up. Too boring?”

“Not at all. Tell me everything.”

“Um, there's a lot. Before I forget, though, thank you for the suits. You really didn't have to.”

“I did. They'll come in handy. Besides, Jyn sent me a picture of you in the blue one. It makes you even more handsome than you already are.”

Bodhi blushed, covering his eyes with his hand. “Stop embarrassing me.”

“But it's true. I can't wait to see you in it. Did you wear it tonight?”

“I did,” he whispered. “Leia and Jyn both forced me to. I wanted to save it for you.”

“Well, I'm glad they did. Let everyone see what they can't have.”

“Cassian!” he whined. “This really isn't the place.”

Cassian laughed; he sounded a little bit better than before. “You brought it up.”

“I know and I regret it. So I'm changing the subject. Another random thing that I was looking up is that while hay is considered a grass, the type you feed to a horse will affect it differently. And that hay and straw aren't even the same thing. Apparently straw is a by product of the cereal industry. Hay can also include certain types of legumes. It's mostly fed to herbivores, but pigs can eat; they just don't digest it as well.” He heard Cassian chuckle before softly asking for him to continue. “One of my classes had a guinea pig once. Our teacher used to buy it timothy hay. We named it Hercules because for some reason we thought that was the perfect name. One time...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're nearing the end folks. A few more minor scenes (and hopefully some fluff) before our climax begins. So long as Bodhi keeps both eyes open, he should be fine. I think. (Mwa ha ha...)
> 
> As a side note, this is the longest chapter yet, at least until we get closer to the end. Thanks for sticking around. I'll make it worth your while.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back. There be porn ahead. You're welcome. Also feelings, those pesky pesky things. As always, if I missed something that needs to be tagged, please let me know and I'll fix it.

“So?” Luke asked, dragging the word out as long as possible. “How's the new job going?”

“It's fine, Luke. It's just an assistant position,” Bodhi said, fighting to keep from rolling his eyes. He edged toward a display near the back of the store, looking at his options. “There's nothing even remotely difficult about it.”

“I thought mom said you were going to be a secretary?”

Bodhi sifted his phone to his other hand, only half listening as he read the labels on the boxes. “Eventually that's what I'll be, but for now I'm just an assistant. Once Barbara retires in a few months, I'll take over her spot.”

“Lame. But you like it?”

“Oh, yeah,” Bodhi snorted. “I love sorting mail and making coffee. Luke, it's fine. It's a lot less work than I'm used to for an office setting, but right now that's fine. I'm honestly just glad to have anything after.... And in a few months I might even be able to drop Uber, which will probably really help my sleep pattern.”

“Just drop it now. Let Hot Guy take care of you.”

“Oh, so you like him again? Dude, make up your mind.”

He heard Luke sigh as he picked what he wanted. “Bo, I still feel there's something weird going on, but Leia keeps telling me I'm crazy. And maybe I am. You definitely seem happier.”

“I am, though I'll like it better once he's back from his business trip.”

“He's still gone?! Bodhi, it's been over three weeks!”

“I'm well aware of how much time has passed, Luke.” He tried to keep his irritation in check as he moved toward the next shelf. “I don't need you to remind me.”

“I don't know how you go so long without sex. Like, seriously, invest in a vibrator or something—”

“Goodbye Luke,” Bodhi said, hitting call end. He hurried toward the register, nodding to the clerk as he paid. Bag in hand, he headed for his car, shaking his head as Luke sent him a picture of a sad puppy with the word “sowwy” on it.

BR: Are you though? And you've gone through my stuff before, so you know what I have.

LS: Not really. I'm in a coffee shop and getting looks.

LS: Lady next to me is pissed.

LS: Hey look, evidence

Clicking on the image, Bodhi laughed at the selfie Luke had sent. He was sitting at a table in the middle of the room, chin resting in the surface top grinning for the camera; he had angled it just enough to show the woman at the table behind him who looked furious as she glared in his direction.

BR: She should be glad you didn't mention anything actually kinky

LS: She's just jealous

LS: And besides, handcuffs are not that kinky

BR: When they're fuzzy, no. Metal, yes.

LS: That's only been a few times!

BR: Sure sure. We'll talk later.

He sat in his car for a moment, eyeing the gray sky. The weather that last few days seemed to be mirroring his mood. Being able to talk to Cassian that one night had been wonderful. He had talked for over an hour, until his throat had started to dry out and Cassian had called an end to it. At midnight on the dot, he had received a text wishing him a happy new year. That night, he had stayed with Leia, not wanting to be alone.

It bothered him just how quickly he had become dependent on Cassian even though he couldn't figure out why. Jyn had been mad when she found out about the phone call the next day. “What was he thinking?! Is he trying to blow his cover?” Bodhi had been trying not to worry since then, which hadn't been easy. Missing Cassian had become a persistent ache in his chest; if he wasn't careful, it might lead him to do something stupid. Well, stupider than sleeping with a mob boss on the first date and moving in with him after only a month.

Sighing, Bodhi tried to shake off his morose thoughts. He sent a text to the group, wondering if anyone was free to hang out for a bit. Going home to an empty apartment sounded like that worst idea ever at the moment. Han responded that he'd be off soon and was willing as long as it involved food. Leia chimed in, suggesting what they had jokingly taken to calling the “food court”. Seeing as Han had never been before, both he and Bodhi agreed.

Feeling victorious, he was able to snag the last space in the cheapest lot nearby. It still galled him to have to pay ten dollars for only a few hours, but at least this time he had a real job. Inside the reconverted warehouse, he found the usual barely controlled chaos of competing food scents, lines that wove through each other, and voices raised to try and be heard. Leia had sent a text as he was walking in saying that whoever got their food first was responsible for finding a table.

Bodhi had spent enough time there to know what was available; it was one of Luke's favorite places and he had dragged him to it as often as he could. There was something quite appealing about being able to wander from stall to stall buying dishes from around the world. He decided that shorter lines were better tonight than waiting for his favorites. That usually meant pizza by the slice and possibly a rice dish, since the two were next to each other. Knowing Leia, she would hit several places and bring back enough to share; he ordered in a similar manner, accepting the box that was offered with a smile.

Han had apparently found a table first; he was sitting in a relatively quiet area, partially hidden behind a pillar looking as if he was having the worst day of his life.

“Dude,” Bodhi asked, frowning, “why didn't you get food first?”

Han shrugged. “I looked around and can't really afford it. I'll just eat later. Did you know there's a place that's selling eight dollar peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?”

“You should have said something! We could have gone someplace cheaper. It's really only the twins that love this place.” Bodhi sat down and pushed the box towards him. “Here, take a slice. I got extra.”

“I might not be able to pay you back for a while,” Han warned, practically drooling as he eyed the pizza.

“It's fine. Better than starving.”

Face lighting up, Han was reaching for a slice when Leia walked up and smacked his hand away. “Leave it. You can eat it after you help me.” She dropped a stack of take-away containers on the table and pointed back toward the food area. “Come help me get the rest.”

“How much shit did you buy?!”

Rolling her eyes, she walked off, fully expecting him to follow. Han grumbled before hurrying after her.

Bodhi was trying not to laugh when his phone rang. “Hey Jyn, what's up?”

“Might I ask what you're doing in the middle of downtown?”

“Eating,” he mumbled around a mouthful of dough knots. “Since you obviously track my phone, you must know where I am to the exact spot.”

“Yes, and I can't believe you're at such a hipster place.”

“Who knows. Maybe I'll grow my hair out. I might look good with a man bun.”

The silence from Jyn's end stretched out for a moment before he heard a faint snort. “Cass would probably still like it. Speaking of Cassian, he's back in town.”

Bodhi nearly dropped his phone, swearing. “The fuck! When was he going to tell me?!”

“He would have, except I took his phone away. He fucked up on new years and could have compromised everything. So, until he finishes what I need him to do, he's not getting it back.”

“Jyn,” Bodhi whined.

“He'll be home either tonight or tomorrow. Don't bother waiting up, though. It'll be late whenever it is.”

“Finally. Is he alright?”

“He's his usually lovely self. I can have someone stay there if you need it.”

“Absolutely not. I can handle him.”

Jyn snorted. “Fine. Just remember, if anything goes wrong there's a panic button inside the bathroom. It's a direct line to whoever is next door. The door is also reinforced, so make sure you lock it.”

“Wait, there's a panic button?!”

“It was for in case someone broke in, but it has other uses. It's under the first drawer.”

“I know you're trying to scare me, but it's not going to work.” He spotted Han and Leia weaving their way toward the table. “I need to go, but can you tell him that I love him?”

“He already knows you do, Bodhi.”

“Can you tell him anyway?” He carefully didn't add that he missed him too.

“Fine. I will.” She hung up before he could say anything else.

Han was scowling as he set the numerous cartons of food down. “Did we really need all this?”

“What are you complaining about? You get to eat for free and whatever is left over we can divide up. Seems like you're coming out a winner here.” Leia set down a pitcher of beer, handing everyone a glass. “Who was that, Bodhi?”

“Oh, ah, just Jyn. Cassian should be home soon,” he mumbled.

“Really?” Leia gave him a look but pushed no further. She started splitting what she had bought up among three plates. “So, how was work?”

“Boring. It'll be great once Barbara finally leaves and I can actually do most of the work.”

“You'll still be bored,” Leia said. “You're overqualified for this job.”

“Probably, but I'm not going to complain. I'm going to be paid way more than I should for office work, which I am ecstatic about. I really can't thank you enough.”

“It's fine. I always try and help my friends.”

“Then why haven't you ever helped me get a job?” Han asked, picking the pineapple off the pizza Bodhi had handed him. He pushed them onto Bodhi's offered plate.

“I did,” Leia said, glaring at him. “I seem to remember helping you get two different jobs. What did you do instead? Run off to Vegas with Ellie when you should have been working?”

“Hey! That only happened one time. And I'll admit that I deserved to be fired for that one. The other one was not my fault.”

“Han! You blew off the interview to go to some stupid audition for a part you knew you weren't going to get!”

Chewing on his lip, Han scowled at the crust in his hands. “I couldn't pass it up. If I had gotten the part I would have made a lot of money.”

“You would have made a lot of money by going to the interview and getting the job. They already said they were willing to be flexible with the hours they wanted you to work. You could have auditioned for something else later.”

Bodhi did his best to ignore their well rehearsed argument and enjoy the tacos Leia had specifically bought him. “Changing the subject, how did you bypass that ridiculous line for these? I love them, but I hate waiting.”

“I know the owner. I just called and asked if he could hold some.”

“Do you know everyone?” Han asked.

“I might.” Leia glanced at him before deliberately looking away. “So, Solo. Just how do you know the lovely Qi'ra from the other night?”

Han choked on his food, coughing as Bodhi pounded him on the back. “We, ah,” he sputtered, reaching for his glass. “We've met once or twice.”

“Seemed like more than that. She seemed to know you quite well.”

“We grew up in the same place. Why, you jealous?” Smirking, he tried to lean back in his chair, almost tipping over when it skidded across the floor.

“Smooth.” Bodhi snorted. “Was she always that intense feeling? She made me a little nervous.”

“She...knew how to get what she wanted, but...yeah, that was new. She's definitely changed since....” Trailing off, Han glanced nervously at Bodhi. “Look man, I don't know what your family was talking to her about, but trust me, you do not want to get involved with her. I don't think she means you any harm, but the man she works for? I wouldn't trust him. For anything. He's made a name for himself and it's not a good one.” He shook his head at their puzzled looks. “I can't say anything else. I promised. And besides, she'd probably find out and come kill me. Just stay away from her. You're better off.”

Later, while driving home, Bodhi couldn't get Han's words out of his head. He'd have to ask Cassian about it when he had the chance. For now, he just wanted to concentrate on the joy he was feeling. He was finally going to see Cassian again! And if they were lucky, he wouldn't be leaving again anytime soon. Bodhi definitely had plans. Plans indeed.

* * *

“You alright boss?” Bistan asked. Cassian had been leaning against the wall in the hall for the last few minutes, looking like he was about to pass out. “You look like shit.”

Glaring, Cassian pushed himself away from the wall. “I'm fine. I'm just tired.”

“You're pretty pale. You sure you're not hurt? Want me to take you to see the guardians instead?”

Cassian pushed him out of the way. “I'm fine. Want to keep pushing things?”

Bistan snorted. “I'm not afraid of you, you should know that by now. Fine, just remember, it's not me on duty tonight. So play nice with the new guy.”

Sighing, he waved him off. It took a few tries, but eventually he was able to unlock the door. He nearly fell walking in as a wave of exhaustion hit him. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, the aches and pains of the last several days were hitting him in full force. He wanted his bed. He wanted his Bodhi.

He didn't remember climbing the stairs—he wasn't even truly aware of where he was until he pushed open the bedroom door. The tension in his shoulder drained away as soon as he saw Bodhi curled up around his pillow, deep in sleep.

His entry must have made some kind of noise; before he managed more than a few steps forward, Bodhi was sitting up and brandishing the nearest object as a weapon. As he focused on it, he realized it was a carved marble coaster. Distantly, in the back of his mind, he applauded the choice—it was just heavy enough to cause real damage if thrown correctly—even though he wanted to scold him for thinking it would ever be enough to stop an intruder that truly meant him harm. A gun would have been so much better though. He pushed the thoughts away for now, breath catching in his throat as Bodhi blinked the sleep from his eyes.

“You really did come home,” he mumbled, a sleepy smile playing across his lips. “Jyn wasn't lying.” He held his hands out, making grabby motions, trying to draw Cassian forward.

Who was he to resist? In two long strides, he was across the room. Shedding his jacket, he kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the bed. He forcefully pushed Bodhi back, spreading out across him. Bodhi moaned softly, wrapping his arms around his back as Cassian kissed him. It was relentless, another kiss beginning as soon as one ended. Cassian lifted his body enough to push the sheet aside, groaning when he realized that Bodhi was already naked.

“I missed you,” Bodhi said, without shame. He nipped at Cassian's jaw, eyes closing as his hands wandered down his chest and across his stomach. “You were gone for forever and thought you might like a little surprise.”

Cassian grabbed his hands and pinned them over his head, kissing him roughly. Bodhi's moans grew louder as he started trailing kisses and bites down his neck.

“Cass...” Bodhi gasped sharply as he bit down on his shoulder before moving up to suck just below his jaw. Squirming, he spread his legs farther as Cassian rolled his hips against him. “Cass, wait. I need—Cass, stop. I need to ask you something...oh. Fuck...” Throwing his head back, Bodhi twisted his hands around, breaking Cassian's grip. He quickly caught his startled face and kissed him to reassure him. “I'm not stopping, trust me. Okay? I just need to know you're okay.” He gently brushed his thumb over a bruise just beginning to fade on his cheek.

“I'm fine.” His breathing was labored, pupils expanding as he held himself still.

Eyes darting across his face and body, Bodhi could find no signs of pain; though his body was taut enough that his arms were beginning to shake, Bodhi could tell that it was merely from arousal. Cassian was waiting for Bodhi to give him the okay. He was waiting for Bodhi to make up his mind. It made him smile brightly, eyes mischievous. “Good. But there is one more problem. You are wearing entirely too much. Think you can...” Bodhi bit back a laugh as Cassian shot to his feet and began stripping as fast as he could.

He growled as his head got caught in his shirt, throwing it aside once he was free. He paid little attention as he kicked his pants off, groaning as he watched Bodhi stretch languidly across the dark sheets, legs falling open as he crawled back on top of him. The kiss that Bodhi initiated was slow and sweet, even as he shivered as Cassian's hand reached down to stroke his cock. Cassian knew he was quickly becoming addicted to the sounds Bodhi made; they drove him wild even just remembering them. He loved the way Bodhi clung to him; the little whimpers that filled his ears as he tightened his grip just on the right side of painful. “Tell me to stop and I will. I—I don't know if I can hold back. Or if I want to.”

“Don't you dare. I missed this—I missed you.”

Cassian growled again as he reached for the bottle of lube on the nightstand. Dropping it on the bed, he sat back, hand squeezing Bodhi's thigh as he pushed his legs farther part. Bodhi complied with a little sigh, head rolling as Cassian traced across his thigh, the backs of his fingers gliding over his balls and making him tremble. Cassian's fingers dipped lower, searching...

Moaning, Bodhi fought to keep his eyes open as Cassian froze above him. “Surprise,” he said, watching him through hooded eyes.

“Did you really...?” Cassian traced his fingers over the base of the plug, eyes widening as Bodhi squirmed against him, pre come dripping onto his stomach. Pressing it further into him, Cassian nearly lost it then and there. Bodhi seemed to realize it, tightening his legs around his waist.

“Cass...please...I need you.”

He wanted to yank it out, to shove himself in in one swift motion. He wanted to take until there was nothing left. He wanted to own, consume, dominate. It took all of his will power to go slow; gently, he eased the plug free, teasing it against his rim as he slowly worked it back and forth. Ignoring Bodhi's pleas to hurry up that were trying to incite the voices in his head to give in, he slowed down even more, kissing along his shaft before pulling it completely free. He was quick to replace it with his fingers, carefully lubed up.

Bodhi's head was lolling back, breaths ragged as his chest rose and fell rapidly. A fine sheen of sweat was covering his body, glowing in the lamplight. “Please...please.”

Reaching for a condom, Cassian paused as Bodhi caught his wrist. “It's okay. You don't have to. I trust you.”

Cassian felt a surge of affection wash over him. He hesitated, wrapper in hand before leaning in for a kiss. He kept it as soft as he could, tongue barely tracing across his lips. “Maybe soon. But not tonight. Not tonight.”

It took only seconds to unwrap the condom and roll it on. In one slow push, he slid into Bodhi, eyes closing as he bottomed out. Cassian held himself still, unwilling to move until Bodhi rolled his hips up, trying to work him deeper. The sound that came out of his mouth was closer to a snarl than anything; he grabbed his wrists, pinning them tight to the bed as his hips pulled back, almost pulling out all the way before slamming forward. Beneath him, Bodhi gasped, eyes widening; his gaze was unfocused as he moaned, conflicting emotions running across his face. Cassian held still again, waiting.

“More...” Bodhi breathed, clenching around Cassian. “Cass...come on...”

Taking him at his word, Cassian stopped being careful. His thrusts were wild, barely controlled as he alternated between short hard rolls of his hips and long drawn out thrusts that had him pulling out until only the head remained. Bodhi kept his head thrown back, neck exposed as Cassian continued to bite and kiss him, leaving bruises behind. He pulled his knees up, squeezing around his ribs; Cassian released one of his wrists, pulling his knee up higher to drive in deeper. He was listening for that one particular sound that Bodhi made when he was close; the little whimper that told him it wouldn't take much more—there. Snaking his hand between them, he pulled roughly at his cock, calluses catching on the tender skin.

Bodhi went off with a shout, eyes squeezing tight against the tears he could no longer hold back. Cassian started to slow his movements, groaning as Bodhi pulled him closer. “Keep going...”

It only took a moment, thrusts picking up speed, before Cassian came, biting at the skin between Bodhi's neck and shoulder. Beneath him, Bodhi had gone limp, breaths still coming in gentle gasps as his legs began to shake. Carefully, Cassian pulled out, groaning as he left the heat of his body. He lowered his legs; glancing toward the bathroom, he remembered Bodhi's complaint from before.

“Top drawer,” Bodhi mumbled, eyes still closed tight. Cassian opened it to find a package of wet wipes tucked into the corner. He couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up, a different kind of warm glow through his chest at the sight. “See?” Bodhi slurred, drifting toward sleep. “Compromise. Now you have no excuse not to stay in bed and hold me.”

“My beautiful, smart boy,” Cassian whispered, leaning over to kiss the shell of his ear. “What did I do to deserve you?”

“Less talking, more snuggling.”

Snorting, Cassian started cleaning them up. Bodhi had even moved a small trash can next to the bed. Keeping his touches gentle, he brushed his fingertips across the darkening marks on his neck. With a sigh, Bodhi leaned toward the touch, hand coming up to catch his wrist.

The rest could wait until later, Cassian decided. He reached for the plug he had set on the table; wrapping it in a wipe, he tossed it and the pack aside and laid next Bodhi, gently rolling them so they were centered in the bed. Pulling at the blankets, he wrapped them up. Thank god for smartphones, he thought, as he used an app to lower the heat—if Bodhi wanted to snuggle, he'd make sure they were able to comfortably. Kissing the top of his head, he let Bodhi's soft exhales pull him into sleep.

* * *

It was the need to pee that finally woke Bodhi up. A quick glance at his phone told him that it was well into midday; they had slept away the entire morning. Not surprising, he thought, feeling his body protest against movement. Beside him, Cassian was still in deep sleep. It hurt Bodhi to see the dark circles under his eyes, alongside the bruise that marked his cheek. He had a few new cuts as well. Bodhi would have to talk to Jyn about that later.

Rolling toward the edge of the bed, he hissed as Cassian's arms tightened around him.

“Cassian, I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back.”

The noise he made was somewhere between a mumble and a growl, arms pulling him back down into the mattress. He was quick to roll partially on top of him, weight pinning him down.

“Cass! I'm serious man. Let me up. I swear to all that is holy, I will safe word out of this.”

Cassian's eyes were still closed as his hips started rolling. Bodhi could feel him growing hard; he felt a warm flush move through his body even as he fought harder to get up.

“This is your own fucking fault,” he muttered. “Mayday.”

Above him, Cassian froze before slowly rolling to the side. “Was that really necessary?” he croaked as Bodhi scrambled out of bed.

“It was. You weren't listening and I really have to go.”

Cassian rolled on to his side, drifting off. He hummed as he felt Bodhi climbing back into bed, rolling to pull him into his arms once again. “Your feet are cold.”

“Dude, it's cold in here. Why'd you turn the heat down?” he asked as he snuggled in close, tucking his head under Cassian's chin.

“You were the one that wanted contact.”

Giggling, Bodhi wiggled against him, sighing in pleasure as Cassian tightened his hold. “So does this mean you're staying this time? At least until the next call?”

“You know I can't promise that.”

“I know.” Bodhi closed his eyes, shivering as Cassian's hands began wandering lower on his back. “I missed you, though. I worried.”

“I know. I'm sorry.” Cassian rolled to once again pin Bodhi to the bed. “I missed you too. I—I shouldn't have called you that night. If either of us had been compromised—I could have gotten you hurt.”

Humming, Bodhi kissed his jaw. “I don't care. I'm glad you did.” He hissed slightly as Cassian ground against him. “Dude, I'd love to, but I think we're going to have to wait a bit.”

Cassian gave him a thoughtful look, eyebrow raised, before kissing his lips. He pulled away, body sliding down his until he reached his stomach. Above him, Bodhi's breath caught as he kissed just below his belly button. Keeping his touches light and teasing, he moved to his hips and thighs, waiting for Bodhi to tell him to stop. He only took his cock into his mouth when Bodhi reached beneath the covers to brush at his hair.

It didn't take him long to work up a steady rhythm, sliding off him at random to nip at the sensitive flesh. Taking him back into his mouth, Cassian pinned his hips down, hollowing his cheeks until he heard Bodhi give a tiny sob. He started bobbing his head, moving one hand to tease over his balls.

“Fuck—I'm gonna come! Cass—!”

Batting Bodhi's hand away, Cassian held him in his mouth as he came, gently running his hand up and down his leg until Bodhi relaxed against the mattress again. He kissed the head of his cock before crawling back up, a mischievous light in his eyes. “Good?”

“Fuck you, what do you think?” Bodhi panted, eyes closed.

“Maybe you should. I'd let you,” Cassian whispered in his ear before sucking on the pulse point below it.

Bodhi whined, twisting in his grip. “Why would you say that now!” He swatted at Cassian's shoulder as he laughed. “Come here, let me...” He gestured vaguely down his body.

“It's fine. Just come here.” Cassian pulled him into a kiss, one hand coming up to tangle in his hair.

Bodhi moaned as he felt the gentle pressure, enough to remind him that Cassian was in control without hurting him. He returned each kiss, hoping Cassian could feel the love he felt; he was able to snake a hand between them, down to where he was rubbing himself against his hip. Finding the head of Cassian's cock, he pinched the skin beneath it, rolling it between his fingers; he grinned as Cassian groaned, pulling him closer to another kiss, tongue slipping into his mouth. As Cassian's fingers tightened in his hair, he tightened his grip on his cock, pulling with as much strength as he was exerting over him. He sighed when he realized that Cassian understood. He controlled his own pleasure—the speed, the pressure. He met Cassian's eyes, nodding. “I'm sure.”

“Stop me if it's too much,” he mumbled, eyes closed as he pressed his face against Bodhi's neck.

“I will.”

Cassian tried to hold on as long as he could, easing off whenever the pressure became too much. He normally hated edging, especially when it came to himself, but he wanted this moment to last. Bodhi's touches were perfect; never once did he falter in what Cassian asked for. Surging up for one final kiss, he pulled hard at Bodhi's hair. He responded in kind, driving Cassian over the edge. His hips stuttered forward as he came across his hand and stomach.

He must have blacked out; he gradually became aware of Bodhi's hands soothing up and down his back. Rubbing his nose against his chest, he sat up slowly, feeling nearly boneless. “I love you.”

“So I've heard.” Bodhi sat up, pulling him into a passionate kiss, trying to convey what he was feeling. “Good?”

“Perfect. Thank you.”

Bodhi's grin split his lips. “Good. Were you serious before? About...?”

Nodding, Cassian sat on the edge of the bed. “Very. I trust you. I haven't...I don't—there's not many I'd let fuck me but I'd like to with you. If you want.”

“Just tell me when. I love getting fucked, in case you can't tell. But I'll make it good for you.” Bodhi sat beside him, nuzzling his shoulder. “Right now, though, I think a bath is in order. I've been wanting to try that tub out with you. And food. We should definitely have food. We can play it by ear after that. How does that sound?”

“Sounds perfect. Why don't you go start the water while I order food. Anything in particular?”

“Pizza?” Bodhi asked, sounding hopefully.

“Of course. Any particular toppings?”

“Surprise me?”

“As you wish.”

Bodhi snorted. “Oh god, you're really a hopeless romantic at heart, aren't you?”

Cassian laughed softly, ducking his head. “Only for you. It's not a safe habit to indulge in, not in my line of work.” He waited until Bodhi had left the room to check his phone; only two new messages awaited him, both from Jyn. Neither were of significant importance; ignoring them, he sent a text to Pao, tasking him with assigning someone to a food run. There was still a deep weariness running through him—too much action on too little sleep. With luck, things would remain quiet for a while. Standing, he stretched, wincing when his spine popped; it hurt more than helped. Bodhi had the right idea with the tub.

Something must have shown on his face as he came into the bathroom. Bodhi was already settled into the tub, legs stretched out before him (and Cassian had paid quite a bit to have a tub that big installed—logistically, it had been a nightmare, though it had long since paid for itself in functionality). He grinned, patting at the water; Cassian didn't miss the way his eyes shifted to study the bruises on his torso, nor did he miss the way his smile became a bit more forced. “It was nothing,” he reassured him. “Just a minor conflict.”

“Sure,” Bodhi said, swirling the suds around him in nonsensical patterns. “Want to explain the cut on your arm?”

“Caught it on a fence. It's just a scratch.”

Bodhi let the subject drop, pulling Cassian against him once he stepped into the water. “If you say so.”

“You're really one to talk,” Cassian said, head dropping toward his chest as Bodhi rubbed his shoulders. “Looked in a mirror lately?”

“And who's fault is that?” Bodhi whispered in his ear, giggling when Cassian shivered and tried to pull away. “I would have told you to stop if it became too much.”

“About earlier...we should have discussed—”

“Cass. We have talked things over before. I trust you to listen to me. I mean, you obviously listened when I said the safe word.”

Rolling his eyes, Cassian sighed. “And would you actually use it where it counts?”

“Of course! I know you would have let me up earlier, I just wanted to test it. You listened, which means I trust you not to actually hurt me. So...I'll tell you when I don't like something.” He kissed his ear, voice low as he added, “and I'd really like to try more of that later. I have some ideas.” He yelped, laughing as Cassian pulled him around, fingers digging into his sides once Bodhi was in his lap. “That's cheating!”

Cassian continued to tickle him, grinning as Bodhi tried, ineffectively, to twist away. He ignored the water sloshing over the side of the tub, finally relenting to pull Bodhi into a deep kiss; he loved the little huffs he made as he tried to catch his breath, hands clinging to his shoulder as he straddled Cassian's lap. Leaning back, he pressed a button on the controls, relaxing as the jets came on. His muscles slowly began to loosen under the hot water; it was easy to drift off again, with Bodhi tucked up against his side, knowing that for now, nothing could touch them.

* * *

Cassian was finishing up with the coffee maker when the doorbell rang.

“Want me to get it?” Bodhi asked, rising from his place at the table.

Checking his phone first, Cassian nodded. “You don't have to tip him. He's one of ours.”

Behind his back, Bodhi gave him a weird look but held back his comment. He hurried toward the door, grabbing his wallet off the side table as he went.

The kid standing at the door couldn't have been more than eighteen. He was nervously shifting from side to side, giant box in hand; his eyes grew wider when he say Bodhi. Eyes darting down, he blushed when he saw the mark on his neck; clearing his throat, he thrust the box toward him.

Trying not to laugh, Bodhi handed him a ten, shaking his head when the boy tried to give it back. “Keep it. It's yours.”

“Hey, thanks!” Nodding, the kid hurried away, heading for one of the apartments down the hall.

“I think he's terrified of you now,” Bodhi said, slamming the door.

“Don't wear such a low cut shirt next time. But at least he knows you're mine.” Cassian had settled in on the couch, remote in hand. Two steaming cups of coffee sat on the coffee table beside a set of plates.

Rolling his eyes, Bodhi sat beside him, leaning in close. “Works going to be interesting on Monday.”

Cassian shrugged. “What do you want to watch?”

Bodhi watched him scroll through the choices for a bit, finally pointing to one. “Why not that one? You said it was your favorite.”

Pausing on Spirited Away, Cassian wrapped his arm around his waist. “I shouldn't be surprised you remember that but I kind of am.”

“Why do you like it so much?” Bodhi asked, curious.

Cassian went still before reaching for the pizza box. “It just reminds me of what's truly important. Plus, the animation is beautiful. Who doesn't like a good fantasy?”

Humming, Bodhi accepted the plate he held out. He thought he knew what Cassian meant, but decided that for now it didn't matter. Letting Cassian pull him close, he leaned into his side as his fingers ran through his hair. He curled his legs up onto the couch, toes curling inside the cat socks he had bought on a whim the year before. He bit his lip, unable to hold back the question that had been weighing on him for a while now. “Cass? Do you know someone named Qi'ra?”

Even without answering, Cassian's reaction made it obvious. He froze, body stiff. “How do you know that name?”

“A few reasons.” Bodhi kept as close to Cassian as he could. “She was at my father's party recently. Benjamin was trying to get dad to go in on some deal with her. And apparently Han knows her. He says she trouble and to stay away, but he won't say anything more.” He hesitated, biting his lip. “I, ah—I also picked her up from the airport once. I didn't know then.”

Cassian sighed. “I used to. A long time ago. Han's right. Don't go near her.” He tugged gently on a strand of Bodhi's hair. “I don't want you to drive for a service anymore. Not until I have things under control.”

“Okay.”

“I never should have gotten you involved in any of this.”

“Well, I'm glad you did. And I'm glad you're here. Next time you have to leave, I'll be waiting for you. I promise. I'm not going anywhere.”

Hand stilling, Cassian turned to kiss his hair. “Don't make promises if you don't know that you can keep them.”

Saying nothing, Bodhi leaned in closer, ignoring the small lick of fear he felt running down his spine. He closed his eyes, waiting for the comfort of Cassian's arms to return. It took longer than he would have liked.

* * *

They stayed in that night, taking things easy. Cassian had fallen asleep during the movie, startling awake when Bodhi turned off the TV. He hadn't fought his suggestion of an early night; in truth, he was out again as soon as his head hit the pillow. Bodhi had laid awake for a long time after, thoughts turning as all the fears he had pushed aside came back to scream at him. He had finally calmed down well after midnight. Rolling into Cassian's side, he had traced the small scar that marked the wound he had received the night they had met. Cassian had sighed and pulled him close, arms and legs locking him into place. I'm being silly, he thought, nothing will happen that I can't handle. Everything will be fine.

It was late once again when they woke up. Cassian had appeared disoriented at first; he had sat for a long time rubbing his forehead, eyes closed against the weak winter light that was trying to push past the curtains. Bodhi brought him a cup of coffee, kissing his cheek as he mumbled a thank you.

“So,” Bodhi said, “I was thinking we should try and get outside for a bit today. Do you think it's safe?”

Cassian turned the mug in his hands. “Depends on what you consider safe. It's never been truly safe for us to go out together.” He gave Bodhi an apologetic smile. “In truth, ever since our first date, I've probably put you in danger. I'm sorry.”

“Don't be. I wouldn't trade this for anything.” Bodhi leaned in for a kiss, smiling when Cassian returned it just as eagerly. “How about something simple? Maybe just coffee and a pastry? A walk around a park? A movie?”

Cassian's eyes brightened a bit. “I think I can arrange something. Just—” He shook his head. “Just don't be surprised if we're not truly alone. I had to tell Jyn that you've had a run in with Qi'ra. She's not very pleased. She's also said that I'm no longer allowed out alone.” He looked disgruntled as he spoke, face twisting into a frown.

“Will it just be someone following us or actually with us?”

“Probably with us,” Cassian sighed. “Same car and everything.”

“Can we make out like horny teenagers in the backseat then?” Bodhi teased.

Cassian merely gave him a look, though it's effect was lessened by the smirk he was unable to suppress. “You're impossible.”

Bodhi grinned. “You love that about me.”

“I do,” Cassian murmured.

Bodhi wound up liking the man that met them by the car. He introduced himself as Pao; like Bistan, he was one of the few that lived in the building permanently—he stayed on the floor below and oversaw the guards that stayed near Cassian. They spent much of the drive talking about books and movies; Bodhi had a hard time keeping it together, laughing until he couldn't breath while Pao told him about the time he found a website that specialized in literary cocktails and he proceeded to get Bistan drunk off his ass. Cassian merely leaned back in his seat, eyes squeezed shut; Bodhi could see the corners of his lips curling up as he tried to hide his smile.

It was hard for Bodhi to imagine what Cassian's life must have been like, though he was beginning to suspect certain things. He was glad that there seemed to be plenty of people around him that actively liked Cassian and wanted to keep him safe, not just out of a sense of obligation or fear. It went a long way toward cementing in his mind that he had made the right choice.

At the theater, Pao sat several rows behind them, popcorn in hand. Bodhi remembered little of the movie; he was focusing more on holding Cassian's hand and pretending they were a normal couple for once. Cassian was gradually relaxing more as the day went on, face opening up more until he reminded Bodhi of the suave guy he had been on their first date. It was hard for him to remember why he had been nervous about dating him in the first place, mob connection not withstanding. Afterwards, Cassian directed Pao to drop them off at a local bakery not far from the apartment.

“The one with the really good coffee? I'm in!”

Rolling his eyes, Cassian leaned over the back of the seat, staring at Pao. “You sit as far away from us as possible. Preferably in the car.”

“No can do. Erso won't let me. And between the two of you, she scares me more. I'll stay away, but I'm coming in.”

Bodhi pretended he hadn't heard Pao's slip on Jyn's name. Beside him, Cassian had stiffened but made no move to correct him. Interesting, he thought. For some reason, the name was familiar to him. He'd have to think about it later.

The bakery turned out to be less than a mile from the apartment. From the outside, it looked like a nondescript brick building, glass windows hidden behind trellises covered with vines. Inside, it occupied more space than Bodhi had imagined. Pao scanned the room quickly before calling out a hello to the clerk, rubbing his hands together as he moved toward the counter. Cassian sighed and pulled Bodhi toward a display case. “What would you like?”

“Everything. Why have we never come here before?! We've been dating for, what, two months now and you just decided to bring me here?” Bodhi pretended to be hurt, even as he fought back a smile. Cassian pushed him gently, murmuring that he was a brat. “How about those two?” Bodhi pointed toward a coconut cake and a tiramisu.

Cassian squeezed his hand as a clerk walked up. He ordered Bodhi's two picks, adding in a chocolate cake slice and a crème brulee. “And two large coffees.” He pointed toward a table near the back of the large room. “Go grab a seat. I'll be there soon.”

Due to the size, the bakery was less crowded than Bodhi had expected. He edged past the tables filled with people camping out with their laptops; some had a small collection of coffee cups and plates forming around them, barely reacting as the workers came by to bus the tables. Settling into the corner, he glanced back toward the door, frowning as he recognized the figure walking in. It was hard not to notice Kay; he easily towered over the room, his perpetually grumpy face scanning the crowd. Beside him, a shorter man touched his sleeve and pointed toward the tables by the windows. Kay scowled, mumbling something before he turned toward the counter.

Bodhi could tell that Cassian had spotted him; he was too stiff as he gathered the plates and came over to the table. “They'll bring the coffee over with the rest in a bit.”

Smiling, Bodhi stood up and pecked his cheek. “Thank you. I'll be right back.” He pointed toward the bathroom down the hall.

He took his time, standing in front of the mirror for a long time. For some reason, Kay's appearance had put him on edge. Or maybe it was just Cassian's reaction. “Pull it together. It's nothing.” Though he hadn't missed how the man with Kay had greeted Pao with a hug, laughing at something he had said as he sat beside him. Later, he told himself. Not while he was out on a date.

Just before he stepped out of the hall, he heard Kay's voice. He was trying to keep his tone low, agitation making it difficult. “How much does he know?”

“That's not your concern. I asked you why you were here?” Cassian sounded cold, a threat tinging his words.

“I'm here because Erso didn't do her job properly. I found this this morning. I thought she erased everything?”

“She did.” Cassian's voice was strained.

“Well, obviously not well enough. If I can find this then so can they.”

“Finding stuff like this is one of your jobs. You're good at it.”

“She's supposed to be better. Watch your back. Someone must have let something slip. Erso maybe.”

“Jyn wouldn't.”

“Fine. Then why was this still out there?”

“I don't know. I'll look into it. Now please leave. I'm not working right now.”

“You're always working. Quit lying to yourself. I'll try and keep an eye out, but they're watching me right now as well. Are you sure it was them that he saw?”

“Not them. Just the one.”

“And you trust him?”

“With my life.”

There was a long pause. “Then you really are a fool.”

Bodhi stayed where he was for another moment, waiting until he heard the door open and close. That was twice today that someone had referred to Jyn by the name Erso. It couldn't be a coincidence. He knew that name, just not why. As he rounded the corner, he was relieved to see that both Kay and the man were gone. Pao was once again alone, typing away on his phone with a half smile on his face.

Cassian's face was pensive; he was staring at a spot on the wall behind Bodhi's chair, eyes hard. He shook himself as Bodhi walked up, lips curling up into an almost genuine smile; it didn't quite meet his eyes. “Everything okay?”

“Yes. What about with you?” 

He saw understanding in his eyes as he sat down. “No. But it will be. Try not to worry.”

Humming, Bodhi picked up a spoon and tried the crème brulee. “Well, in that case...what do you say we finish our coffee and take half of these to go. We can go home and have our own special little dessert time. I seem to remember seeing a can of whipped cream hiding in the fridge.”

Cassian's smile grew as he bit back a laugh. “I'm beginning to like the way you think.”

“Just beginning to?” Bodhi stuck his tongue out. “Well, I'll have to work harder, won't I?”


	21. Chapter 21

“Come in, Rook.”

Bodhi froze, one eyebrow raised, before stepped into the office. “Are you sure you're not psychic or something?”

Winter snorted, not looking up from her computer. “I just have a spectacular memory. I can tell who's outside just by the sound of their footsteps.” She glanced up, rolling her eyes at his expression. “I'm joking. The blinds broken in the corner. I can see everyone approaching. I'm only telling you this because I like you, so don't ruin the illusion.”

Blinking, Bodhi held out the files he was carrying. “Here's those form letters you asked me to review. They've been edited and filled out. Plus, I found the missing pages for the Keller report so I fixed that, if you don't mind.”

“Why would I mind more work being completed?” Winter asked, flipping through the offered papers. She frowned, reading over the last report. “Where did you find this? It's been missing for months?”

“I took apart the filing cabinet downstairs. Someone misfiled it, so I fixed everything. I still can't figure out how they messed it up so bad; whoever designed the system did a great job.”

“That would be me.” She looked up at him; her eyes seemed to bore into him. “Nice initiative. How bored are you?”

“Perfectly content,” he said, smiling brightly.

“You're a horrible liar.”

“I'll work on that.” Trying not to fidget, Bodhi chose his words with care. “I've finished everything for now. Do you think it would be possible to leave a bit early today? I can make it up tomorrow if necessary.”

Winter was shaking her head before he even finished. “I'm sorry, but there's something coming in later that I might need you to do. Otherwise I'd definitely say yes. I'll know more in about an hour, so maybe then.”

“Then would it be okay if I work on something personal for a bit?”

Shrugging, Winter turned back to her work. “Sounds fine to me. You can use the conference room if you want more privacy. I know Higgins is nosy. Just no porn. Or anything that will get HR involved.”

Bodhi leveled his best blank look at her. It was nowhere as intimidating as Cassians, not yet at least. “I'm helping a friend research something. Nothing like that.”

She was already waving her hand to dismiss him. “As long as your work is done, I don't care. You do more than anyone else here. Have at it.”

Grinning, he hurried back to his desk tucked into the corner of the room. It didn't take him long to boot up his laptop, pulling up the document he had been compiling slowly over the last month. It had taken him a while to even find what he had; most of it had come from Luke, who was better than any google search when it came to mob activity. He had to be careful about when he worked on it as well—he didn't want Cassian to know what he was up to just yet. Most of the information he had found on his own about Crimson Dawn had wielded little, other than the names of a few high ranking members.

“You won't find much about them,” Luke had said, shaking his head as he picked at his noodles. “Mostly just rumors. They've done a good job of hiding most of their activity.”

“But you know of them?” Bodhi asked, keeping his voice low. He kept glancing around the room, watching to see if anyone was interested in them. After Cassian's run in with Kay, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being followed.

“Course. Crimson Dawn only came about after the Black Sun disbanded. Their leader dying left kind of a black hole among the crime syndicates at the time. Most of the people close to the top started fighting over areas; some alliance formed, like if one decided to focus more on information—they might choose to partner with a weapons dealer, or even a group known for drugs. Crimson Dawn was different. They don't specialize in any one thing. They kind of became a monopoly in the underground. They'd work with anyone, so long as their cut was good. Ever wonder how some of the politicians of the world got their jobs? Crimson Dawn backed them. Some knew, some didn't. It's been slowly coming out over time.”

“And how do you know this?”

“Dad.” Luke had nodded, taking in Bodhi's shocked expression. “Leader of the Black Sun was a dude calling himself Prince Xizor. Small ego there. Anyway, he hated dad. Like, with a capital H. He considered Vader his personal nemesis. Which was bad for him, because dad was part of a very vicious group. Prince Xizor let it control him, and as such did not notice that his group had been infiltrated. He was taken out, his organization fell apart...”

“And Crimson Dawn wanted the top spot.”

“Not at first. That came later.”

Bodhi had bit his lip, worrying it before asking, “what do they deal in?”

“Drugs. Weapons. Human trafficking. Dude, these guys are legit bad guys. My dad, when I could actually get him to tell me anything, used to tell me to stay as far away from any of their people as possible.”

“And how would you know? If someone was a part of them or not?”

“The brand.”

Bodhi had blinked. “The...brand?”

Luke had nodded, eyes dark. “Most gangs require something, right? To show who you belong to? Well, Crimson Dawn takes it literal. They don't believe in tattoos; tattoos can be removed or altered. They brand their people. It's pretty brutal. A lot don't survive it. In some places, they've even found children with the brand. Can you believe that?”

Bodhi had sat in silence, thoughts circling. “So their leader was part of the Black Sun.”

“Nope. No one in Crimson Dawn came from it, except maybe a few low ranking people. Not as far as anyone knows anyway. The leaders wanted a clean start; they also didn't want a power struggle to start. That's generally bad for business.”

“So who's in charge?”

“No one knows the real leader. They've never been seen. The one that everyone thinks is the leader is a man called Dryden Vos. From what I've heard, he's unstable. Fortunately, his right hand man is much more level headed and has managed to keep them from attracting too much attention from authority figures. Don't get me wrong, multiple agencies want them taken down, but it's probably not going to happen. They're in too wide spread for that.” Luke had given him a puzzled look. “Why are you asking all of this?”

Sighing, Bodhi had pushed his plate away. “Because at new years, my brother was talking to someone that my dad didn't approve of. My dad never turns down working with someone willing to invest money. He might he insanely rich, but he didn't get there by gambling with his own money. This woman, though—he wanted nothing to do with her. And Han knew her from somewhere before. He's been acting weird ever since.”

Luke shrugged. “Han would probably know best then.” He had grown contemplative. “A woman might explain why no ones gotten close to Vos before. Few would expect someone that high up to be female, which is idiotic in my mind. Most of the women I know are far more ruthless; look at Leia. Did she have any kind of mark?”

“She wore long sleeves and got annoyed whenever Ben tried to grab her arm.”

“Might be then. They usually brand the wrist. And from what I've heard, once you're a part of them, you can't get out. Vos holds a grudge for life. Death is the only option unless you can outsmart him.”

Bodhi had paid and left not long after, nerves on edge. Luke's words had stuck with him; that night, after Cassian had left, he had started his search. Today, he rubbed his head against the beginnings of a headache, trying to cross reference some of what he knew.

The mark had been easy to find; he had seen Qi'ra's well enough to know what it looked like. It had led him to a handful of articles about bodies being found around the world; most had had the mark branded into them after their deaths, prominently placed on their foreheads or stomachs. Since most of the people involved had been considered “low life criminals,” little attention had been paid. So far, he had found nothing on Vos and only a few mentions of Qi'ra in the form of petty arrest warrants from when she was a child. Interestingly enough, Han's name had turned up in one of those as well.

He startled when Winter dropped a stack of files on his desk. “Jumpy much?” she said, raising an eyebrow. “If you want, you can leave after you put these away. There's also some on the cart in the corner. You alright?”

Clutching his chest, he nodded. “Yeah, sorry, just got absorbed in what I was reading. Thanks. I'll take my stuff down with me?”

“Fine with me. Leave the cart down there. See you tomorrow.”

Gathering his stuff, he powered down his laptop and shoved it into his bag. The cart turned out to have more files than he was expecting, but not enough that it would take too long to finish. He hurried down to the next floor, sorting things out on the table below alphabetically before turning toward the drawers. Winter's system had made sense to him, though he could see why others didn't bother. She had arranged everything by letter, then further by date, offense, and sentence. He was nearing the end of his stack when he came upon a file that had been placed in the wrong bin.

Rolling his eyes, he pulled it out, frowning when he noticed the picture attached to the cover. It was a much younger looking Ellie; it was clearly a copy of one of her mugshots. She was holding up a board with her booking information on it. What caught his attention was the edge of the tattoo he could see on her arm. Though it was blurry, he could just make out the edges. Ellie at one time had worked for Crimson Dawn.

He didn't remember finishing his work, nor how he got out to his car. Through the roaring in his ears, he could hear Padme's words to him on his first day. “You obviously know about Anakin's past. I'm sure that Luke must have told you, and if not, Leia probably did. He wanted to get out so bad once he found out about the twins, but there were very few places that would help at the time. So he turned himself in and helped get it disbanded. It wasn't easy on any of us, but especially the children. Which is one of the reasons I'm doing what I'm doing. I want to help those that want to make a change. Help them get free and restart their lives. Everyone deserves a second chance, do they not?”

“Fuck.” He wiped his hand over his eyes and reached for his phone.

BR: Tell Ellie she might have a problem on hand soon

PL: How so?

BR: Her old boss might be coming to town. She'll get it.

PL: Where are you?

BR: Leaving work

PL: Come over here. We need to talk. I'll call Ellie.

It took him a while to start driving; over and over he replayed what Luke had told him and what he was beginning to suspect. He hoped he was wrong. Oh how he wanted to be wrong.

 

* * *

Standing outside Leia's door, Bodhi swore under his breath as he searched his bag for the key. She had made him keep it, telling him the security system would record everything if there was a problem. “Besides, Luke has one and he's the biggest security threat I've ever met.”

He finally found it under the extra set of gloves that he carried. “Leia, it's me. Please don't shoot,” he called out jokingly as he stepped inside—he froze in his tracks, finding both Luke and Leia glaring from the living room. “What the fuck...?”

“Sit down,” Leia said. She sounded wary. Beside her, Luke shuffled through a stack of papers, face twisted into a scowl.

“Where's Ellie? Is she okay?”

“Like you care?” Luke muttered.

Hurt, Bodhi paused halfway to a chair. “What's going on?”

“Ellie is fine. She's upstairs talking to mom.” Leia smacked Luke's arm. “She's a little freaked out right now, especially if what you told me is true.”

“He'd know, wouldn't he?” Luke said. “Seeing as he's part of all this.”

“What is your problem?!” Bodhi yelled, suddenly wanting to punch his friend.

“My problem is with this guy you've been dating. Remember how I told you I thought something seemed weird? Well, I was right and he doesn't exist. He's not who you think he is.” Luke triumphantly threw a paper at him. Bodhi watched it flutter to rest on the coffee table, eyebrows scrunched together.

Leia touched Luke's arm, glaring at him. She turned toward Bodhi, pointing toward the chair. “Ignore Luke, he's just being an ass right now. But he does have a point Bodhi. Cassian's been lying to you all this time.”

“No he hasn't,” Bodhi said, refusing to look at the paper.

Luke huffed. “Yes he has! Cassian Andor doesn't exist!”

Mind blank, Bodhi wanted to shake his head, to tell him he was wrong, but he found himself unable to move.

“Bodhi,” Leia said, voice soft, “he's right. Cassian Andor—the real one at least—died when he was six years old. There was a house fire. Apparently the Andor family had been living in a condemned apartment building along with five other families. It was winter and there was no heat, no electricity, no plumbing. Some one was either burning trash or had candles going, they never figured out what started it. Only that the building caught fire and only a handful made it out. The owner of the building went to prison.” She picked up the original paper, along with two more. “It made the news. I'm sorry.”

Hands shaking, he took them; his mind couldn't process the words, so he scanned the pictures. Two of the sheets were printouts from a newspaper in Alaska. One turned out to be a copy of part of an autopsy report. There was a small black and white photo attached; it must have been a school photo. A small boy, looking vaguely like Cassian today, stared at him in the blurry print. “It, ah—it says they never fully identified the remains. This could be anyone.”

“One of the families living there confirmed that the Andors lived on the third floor. His mother was seven months pregnant at the time of her death. They were able to identify her through dental records.” Leia tried to reach for his hand, stopping when he flinched away. “No new records of a Cassian Andor show up until ten years ago, when Cassian and Jyn Andor showed up in my mother's office for the first time.”

“He's not who he says he is. He's stolen this child's identity and used it to hide behind. He's a liar and a thief!”

“He isn't,” Bodhi said, refusing to look at Luke.

“Stop defending him! Look at what's happening! He's involved in something major, Bodhi. He's definitely part of some kind of gang—”

“Like your father was?”

Luke's eyes flashed. “I'm trying to help you.”

“Well, it sure feels like you're picking on me instead.”

“Why are you being so stubborn?!”

“Because I know more than you think I do! I didn't go into this completely blind, not like you think I did.”

“Oh, so you know what's going on? Well, then, care to explain it?” Luke leaned forward, arms crossed over his chest. “Explain everything right now. Go on. I'm waiting!”

“I can't just fucking tell you!” Bodhi screamed, face bright red. He clenched his fists. “I need you to trust me that nothing is what it seems right now.”

“Why won't you just tell me?!”

“Bodhi.” Leia kept her voice down, waiting until he met her eyes. “Is it that you're scared to tell us or that you actually can't?”

“I actually can't. Please trust me. I'm not afraid of Cassian—”

“That's not his name!”

Bodhi glared at Luke. “Nor am I being threatened. There are reasons right now for why I can't say anything. I just need you to trust me.”

“I don't think I'll ever be able to trust you again,” Luke said. “Is this why you were so interested in Crimson Dawn the other day? What, you thinking of joining them too?”

“How dare you—”

“I dare a lot of things!”

“Luke! Bodhi! Both of you shut up! Just stop this already.” Leia pushed her brother back, lips pursed. “Luke, can you really get this upset after everything you know about our dad?”

“Yes, I can. Because Bodhi is being deliberately stupid right now. He's walking straight into a situation that's going to get him killed and possibly all of us too. And I'm not going to sit here and pretend everything is fine! If he wants to stay with the liar, that's his choice, but I don't ever want to see him again if that's the case.”

“Luke, you don't mean that! Don't say something you're going to regret!” Leia pleaded.

“No.” Bodhi stood up, face suddenly pale. “You know what, I'm done. If that's what he wants, then we're through. I don't need friends that apparently can't trust me. I'm leaving.”

“Good! Get the fuck out of here!”

Leia scowled at Luke. “I'll deal with you later.” She hurried after Bodhi, catching up to him on the stairs outside. “Bodhi, stop.”

“Why? So you can yell at me too?” He fought to hold in his tears.

“No, but I just want to know that you understand what it looks like from our side. We knew dad wasn't happy to see him that day. He obviously knew something about whoever Cassian truly is.”

“He's Cassian. Trust me Leia. Whatever those papers are, they can't be correct. He wouldn't lie to me. I know something that I can't tell you right now. Please believe me, if I could talk about it, I would.”

Leia studied him for a moment, before nodding. “We just don't want to see you get hurt.” She took a step back. “I'll assume you know what you're doing. Just remember, we may not be able to help you if things go wrong.” She touched his arm. “Ellie's scared right now. She said too much in front of Luke right before you got here. I'm going to be taking her to mom's soon; I figure she'll feel safer there. Thank you for warning us.”

“Do you think she knows anything?”

Leia gave him a knowing look. “She said she'll talk to Jyn, but it needs to be tonight. She's going to run as soon as possible.”

Nodding, Bodhi turned and hurried toward his car.

“I hope for your sake that you're right,” Leia called after him.

He hoped he was too.

 

* * *

“How is it that nothing has been turned up yet?” Cassian asked, sounding more tired than angry.

“We've found some stuff, but whoever is in charge right now is doing a good job of keeping their movements subtle. There's not much else we can go on, not unless one of them makes a move.” Selfa locked his lips, bowing out a nervous breath. “Captain, we've been trying.”

“Same thing with that woman you asked us to track. She went to ground and hasn't been seen. I've had Basteren tracking her but he's found nothing. Not since the last time I updated you.” Rostok shrugged. “She's been using her own name, too, which is frustrating. You wouldn't think we'd lose her as easily as this.”

Cassian dropped his head into his hands. “And yet more of their spies keep popping up.”

“Not exactly,” Selfa said. He raised his hands as Cassian rolled his head to stare at him. “The number of people they've brought in is quite small, only about six so far. Mostly, they've been contacting some of the petty thieves around here, trying to recruit them. Most have been smart enough to come to one of us right away. They know we leave them alone as long as they behave.” He shook his head. “It's never the same person that contacts them either. Usually it's just a message, some kind of incentive offered. We've taken care of the ones that agree to work for them.”

Rostok snorted. “They've been easy to spot. Crimson Dawn hasn't been going after the smartest of people.”

“It's a distraction,” Bodhi said, leaning against the doorway. He didn't flinch as both Selfa and Rostok stood up to defend Cassian.

“Sit. He knows.”

“How much?” Selfa asked, slowly sinking back into his chair.

“For now? Enough. But I sense that we'll be having a conversation later,” Cassian said, voice dry as he waved Bodhi in.

“If you wanted to have a meeting in private, I'd suggest closing the door next time,” Bodhi said. He tossed his bag and jacket onto the couch before pulling out a chair at the foot of the table. He stared at Cassian down the length of the polished surface. “And I might know a few people you can talk to.”

“Like who?” Rostok asked, suspicion coloring his words.

“I assume everyone here knows about Qi'ra?” When no one reacted, Bodhi nodded. “Okay then. She was talking with my brother recently about some kind of business dealings. I try to stay out of whatever his latest scheme is, but he wasn't being very subtle about this. I know for a fact that Ben is too stupid to know anything about her or who she works for, but if you follow him he just might tell you how he contacted her in the first place.”

“Why don't you ask him then?”

Bodhi smiled at Rostok. “Because unless it's to insult each other, my brother and I don't speak. He'd tell me nothing, especially if he thinks I'm actually interested in it. Someone else, though, if they approach it correctly, could probably get him to tell you every bit of personal information he knows.”

“And you'd let us question your family? Why?” Selfa was looking at him with an incredulous expression.

“Because I'm already the black sheep in the family. What more do I have to lose if they find out? I'm sure at some point my father will. He's very nosy when he wants to be. Also, Ben is just stupid, not truly evil. He's self centered and egotistical. Qi'ra scares the crap out of me.”

“You'd be okay with this?” Cassian studied him over the tops of his laced fingers.

“I would.”

“Fine. Selfa, get someone on it. What else did you have in mind?”

Bodhi drew in a deep breath. “This one might be a bit trickier. One of my friends worked for Crimson Dawn in the past.” He held up his hand to forestall Rostok's outburst. “It was a long time ago, when she was very young. She didn't know who they were then. Once she knew, she paid someone an outrageous amount of money to help her get away. She went into hiding for years, only surfacing when she found a way to break her contract completely. I told her about Qi'ra today. I had to,” he stated to Cassian, eyes pleading for him to understand. “She's a pain in the ass but she's my friend. She's at Leia's right now. She'd be willing to tell you what she remembers about leaving in exchange for protection, but that she'll only speak if it's Jyn.”

Rostok and Selfa looked at Cassian, waiting for him to say something.

“What can she tell us that we don't already know?”

“She knows how they recruit. She said that they developed a pattern a few years back and she can show you, but she doesn't want to be found out. If you won't promise to help her, she'll probably run tonight.”

Cassian dropped his eyes, staring into the gleaming surface before sighing. “Fine. Get Maddel to go with Jyn. If she can help us figure out where they're heading next it might be worth it.” He placed his hands on the table, palm down. “For now, let's start with this. Update me as soon as you know something.”

“Yes Captain.” Both men stood up to exit. Selfa stopped next to Bodhi and clapped him on the shoulder. “You surprised me today. Not many can. I like you.”

Bodhi grinned as they left, door locking behind them. He looked toward Cassian, waiting.

“How much do you know?” He sounded resigned.

“That depends on what you'll answer tonight.”

Cassian sighed. “Let's start the food first shall we?”

* * *

They said nothing at first, merely working side by side; Cassian would point at what he needed Bodhi to do while he stood at the stove. Bodhi let the silence build as long as he could, finally asking “how old were you when you joined Crimson Dawn?”

Cassian froze before forcing himself to start stirring again. “Twelve. I was twelve.”

Bodhi continued to carefully cut the vegetables, trying to ignore his shaking hands. “What made you do it?”

“Nothing. I didn't like the other choice.” He took what Bodhi had completed and dropped it into the soup base as it started boiling. “They make it seem like you have a choice, but if you've been in this life as long as I have you know better. Crimson Dawn takes what it wants and doesn't accept no for an answer.”

“How old was Jyn?”

“Older. I don't know exactly, but I was already there when it happened. How did you figure it out?”

“I've seen the scars. And Luke told me about how they mark you.” His voice was barely above a whisper. “Did they....then?”

“They do it as soon as you join, if you're working for them proper. If you're merely a part of their affiliates, there were other options depending on what you were doing.”

“You were twelve,” Bodhi said, struggling to hold back his tears.

Cassian laughed; it was a bitter sound that tore deep into Bodhi's heart. “If you think that's the worst thing that's ever happened, then I worry you might not be able to handle this kind of life, because for better or worse you're in it.”

“Cassian, it's not funny. To do that to anyone, let alone a child, is disgusting!”

“That's only part of joining. They usually make you prove your loyalty too.”

Bodhi went still. “How?”

“You'll hate me.”

“I don't think that's possible.”

“Then don't ask me. Please.”

Moving slowly, he leaned against Cassian's side. “How did you get away?” he asked instead, clearing his throat.

“We were sent to kill someone, Jyn and I. By then, we had already decided to run, if it was possible. The man we were to kill, he wasn't much older than us. He, too, wanted out of the situation he had found himself in. So we gave him an out, helped him run. Made it look like we had killed him. But they found out and came after us instead. I almost died and if Jyn hadn't stuck by my side I probably would have.”

“The one in charge? Is his name Vos?”

“That knowledge might get you into more trouble than it's worth having,” Cassian warned.

“But it is, isn't it? He sent people to kill you just because you disobeyed his orders?”

“More because we lied. Vos is crazy. He has no morals and little fear. This wasn't the first time I had gone against his orders. With Vos, you never knew when he'd snap. It...it was never a safe place.”

“How did you survive?”

“The guardians. Jyn had met Chirrut and Baze years before. They had a soft spot for her, for some reason. I've never learned why; it never seemed like something I should pry into—she has so few private things. Both of us actually, but Jyn especially. It took years for her to tell me anything. When they came for us, I defended her. She called me stupid for it, made me pay many times over. But I'd do it again in a heartbeat. She somehow got me to them, bleeding through the bandages she had found. They told me that when she turned up, she was covered in blood—turned out most of it was neither hers or mine. She had left me in a rundown building. Baze said I tried to fight him when he got there, but I remember nothing. All I know was that eventually I woke up, feeling weaker than I had ever been, knowing that if I stayed there he'd find us. As soon as we could, we ran. Baze and Chirrut told us about Padme. She—she helped us, even...even though we had....there's a reason Skywalker hates us.”

“The twins?”

“No. Never. I have done many horrible things in my life, but going after children has never been one of them. No, it was Vos that ordered the hit against his family. But I was close to Vos once, and so he has little trust for me now.”

“Why has no one taken Vos out yet?”

Cassian shrugged. “Many tried. It's never ended well. He's surrounded by a nearly impenetrable security force at all times and rarely ventures into the heart of things. He lets his people, his trusted few do his dirty work.”

Bodhi stepped back as Cassian moved the soup off the burner. “Where did you fit in in all that?”

“Once? Once I was up there where Qi'ra is. I've stared into the eyes of a true monster. You never want to be that close to anything as evil as that. There is no reasoning with him, no mercy to be found. Any that is given comes with conditions that are impossible to meet. So how did I survive?” Cassian turned to stare at Bodhi, his face blank. “I became useful. Whatever makes you invaluable keeps you alive. You asked me once, where I learned to cook? I was twelve. There were only so many things I was useful for. I wanted it to be something I chose.”

He turned away. “You learn to do what you can. You owe them for living.”

* * *

Sitting cross legged on the bed, Bodhi waited for Cassian to join him. He had said nothing else after the kitchen, merely picked at his soup in silence. Bodhi had been scared for a moment that Cassian was mad at him for prying; his fears had gone away when Cassian had taken his hand after he had placed it on the table.

Now, as he listened to the shower running, he picked at a loose thread sticking up from the hem of his pants. Cassian's words were rolling around in his mind, leaving him restless. He braced himself as he heard the water turn off. Something must have shown on his face; Cassian sighed as he walked toward the bed, still drying off his hair. “If you want to leave, I know people who can keep you safe. I'll stay away from you.”

“Stop it. I never want to hear that again. I'm not going anywhere.”

Cassian wouldn't look at him; dropping the towel on the floor, he sat gingerly next to him.

“Then why do you look like that? Like you've just lost everything?”

Bodhi looked down at his lap. “Wedge showed Luke a copy of a death certificate for a child.”

Cassian sighed. “It was mine wasn't it?”

“It was. We had a huge fight over it. He says you're not who you are and that I'm stupid for trusting you. He doesn't want to be friends anymore. None of my friends trust me right now.”

Cassian reached for him, hesitating before he could touch him. He pulled back, head dropping. “He's right. I've lied to you about so much.”

Bodhi shook his head. “No, you haven't. You've omitted things, yes. But you've never lied. Not about you. I know more than you think I do.”

“Do you?”

Bodhi moved so he could face Cassian. “I know your name is Cassian Jeron Andor. I know you are twenty nine years old. I know that you drink your coffee black and actually like it that way, but only when you're working. When it's just us, I know you prefer one cream and half a sugar. I know you have a freckle on your left hip, as well as your right knee. I know you only pretend to like Kitchen Nightmares because I do, but it bothers you, which is why I stopped watching it. I know you care about the people close to you and they care about you. More so, they trust you. That's not something a liar can maintain for long, not if you're a leader. I know most of those who come here would die for you and that scares you.”

He reached for his hands, holding them tightly. “I know that you aren't the big, scary person you pretend to be. You are Cassian Andor. You are also Jeron, Captain, Whillix, and Joreth Sword, and probably a dozen other names I haven't found yet.” At Cassian's startled look, he smiled ruefully. “I won't tell you where I've learned what I've learned, but I know more than you think. I've been studying you for a while now. I know you've had to make some hard decisions, but you've never lost who you really are, deep inside. I think it's just buried so deep that you forgot it exists.”

“You can't change who I am,” Cassian said, voice low.

Bodhi shook his head. “I know that. It's impossible to change someone. Which is why I'm not. There's nothing to change. You are Cassian. You've had so much taken away from you that you are very protective of what you have now. But you listen to me. You haven't hurt me and I don't think you will. Have I missed anything?”

“I'm...not a good person.”

“And why do you think that?”

Cassian looked up, his eyes haunted. “Because I'm still lying to you. You asked about the mark.”

“You told me the truth,” Bodhi said, sounding confused.

“And you asked about the other part of joining. I told you that they require us to prove our loyalty. But I never said what they asked of me.”

“Cassian.” Bodhi squeezed his hands, shaking his head. “You don't have to tell me. I won't ask you to.”

“But I need you to know. I—I need you to know just how far I've gone to survive. My father had been working for one of Vos's men. I don't know if he even knew it at the time. And...he made a mistake. Lost something he wasn't supposed to lose. And they caught him.”

“Cass...it's okay. You don't have to say anything else,” Bodhi pleaded.

Eyes closing, Cassian could picture it all; the memory was still fresh, even after all these years. “My father left one night. I only partially knew what he did. It was...safer—better—to not ask questions. He told me not to open the door for anyone, and that if anyone broke in to stay silent. I knew the drill. It was how I had been raised, though it had been worse since—since my mother had died. I thought about going out that night, to try and steal what we needed, but I didn't know when he'd be home. He never wanted me to be a part of that lifestyle; he had wanted me to go to school, to have a normal life. Bit delusional really. So I stayed in. I thought he'd be back soon.”

Sitting on his bed, studying Bodhi's hands clinging tightly to his, he drew in a deep breath. “He didn't come home for days. And then, when the door opened, it wasn't him. It was a pair of armed men that I had never seen before. They made me go with them. We eventually wound up at this old building in the middle of nowhere, on the edge of the city. They dragged me inside and there, sitting in his own filth, was my father. They had beaten him to the point where he could barely talk.” He paused, remember the smell, the fear that had filled him. “Vos was also there, looking so out of place that I couldn't help but notice it. He was wearing this off white suit and I couldn't help wondering how he had stayed so clean.”

“You were scared and in shock,” Bodhi said, voice shaking.

Shrugging, Cassian sighed. “I don't think I was. I was trying to figure out how to get away; there were other men there—clearly they were the ones doing all the dirty work. And then Vos must have noticed me. He hurried over, this big smile on his face. 'So this must be the son,' he said. 'You must tell me your name.' So I told him Jeron. I didn't know what else to say.

“And then he smiled and pulled me against him. He lead me around to stand in front of my father. And he told me everything he had done. He knelt there, in the dirt, one hand around my shoulders while he told me that my father had made a choice to betray him. 'You won't betray me, will you Jeron? You'll be so much braver than your father. Which is why I'm giving you a choice.'” Cassian laughed, covering his eyes. “He told me that I could pay for what my father had done or I could join him. That both would come at a cost. He told me it could either be my father or myself.”

“Cassian...”

“I didn't stop him. I didn't even try to. I let him kill my father. I stood there and did nothing, just like with my mother. Still think that makes me a good person?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's okay. You can hate me. You know you want to. I'll forgive you. To steal a line from another fandom, we're in the endgame now. Buckle up, it might get rough.


	22. Chapter 22

“Cassian, you were twelve! What could you have done?” Bodhi asked. He was trying to control his breathing, trying to stay calm. “You couldn't have saved him. There was no other choice you could have made!”

Cassian's eyes were blank. “I could have tried. Instead, I just stood there. I looked at him and only saw myself in his place. I did nothing. I let them kill him and never once felt anything but relief that it wasn't me.” He remembered feeling nothing but cold as Vos had taken his face into his hands, sardonic smile filling his face, the cheerful voice telling him he had made the right choice.

“You were twelve.” Bodhi reached for his face, flinching when Cassian shoved his hand away.

“That is no excuse! If I wasn't even willing to save my own family, what makes you think I'd ever save you?”

Stung, Bodhi withdrew. His lip quivered as he said, “you don't mean that.”

“How do you know? How do you know what I'll do?”

“Because I know you.”

His scoffed. “You really don't. I hated my father. So I let him die.”

“You were a child. You didn't have a choice.” Bodhi closed his eyes. “What happened to your mother?”

“My father owed some people money. He didn't pay, so they came looking for him. They came to where we were living and gave him a choice. He could work for them, pay back what he owed, or he could lose something precious to him. He tried to argue that he had a child to take care of, so they killed her. She was pregnant at the time; I was so excited to have a sister. We ran that night and I heard later that the building burned down. They never identified the remains there, not fully.”

“So the death certificate...?”

“It's not real. Jyn helped forge that. She's surprisingly good at it. How do you think we hid for so long?”

“Then why is Vos coming after you now? What changed?”

“He doesn't like to lose face. Having one of his people, especially one that he let into his higher circle, get away would have been galling. He can hold a grudge for a long time, until he's ready to make an example.”

“But why now?” Bodhi asked. He covered his face with his hands. “What changed? Why did he decide to come after you now?”

“Because of Halloween.” He smiled at Bodhi's startled expression. “I screwed up and let someone get away. I didn't know who he was at the time, but he must have recognized me and sold the information. And now I've pulled you into everything.”

Carefully moving closer, Bodhi wrapped his arms around his chest. “I'm not going anywhere.”

“I could force you.”

“You wouldn't.”

“I can. I could have you kidnapped and taken far away from this, to someplace no one would ever find you. It'd be for your own good.”

“I'd just escape and come back. I'm pretty stubborn.”

“That you are,” Cassian sighed, leaning back against the headboard.

Bodhi went with him, refusing to let go. “You won't. You need me.”

Sighing, Cassian brought a shaking hand up to run through his hair. “That I do.”

“So what's going to happen?”

“I don't know, but I will keep you safe.”

“I trust you.” Sifting, Bodhi settled along his side, arms still tightly wrapped around his torso. “If Crimson Dawn marks the wrist, why doesn't Jyn have a scar like yours?”

“Because she's Jyn and she's as crazy as Vos.” Cassian shook his head, a tired chuckle escaping. “I told you she was young when we met. She said she was sixteen, but she couldn't have been. I kept Crimson Dawn from noticing her as long as possible, until one day she turned up in a club Vos was holding court at. She was so stupid then; she thought she was smarter than everyone else. Which worked in her favor up to that point. Vos liked how she thought, liked how she had tricked her way in. But he wasn't going to let her join—in fact, he ordered her to be removed. He only stopped when she told him she could lead him to a rival.

“He liked that. So he asked her to prove her loyalty and to let him mark her as his forever. Well, she already knew how it worked. Vos had this ring that he wore everywhere. He also carried a lighter, just for this purpose. He waved her forward, but Jyn being Jyn, she grabbed it from his hand and did it herself. Branded her upper arm. Right near her left shoulder. It should have backfired, but she argued that it would be easier for her to infiltrate any organization he needed her to. For some reason Vos liked that.”

“Wait,” Bodhi said, frowning. “On Halloween, didn't her dress not have sleeves?”

“She wore an elastic band over it, kind of like her head band. You wouldn't have seen it anyway; Baze helped her disguise it. It looks like a dent in her arm now. Plus, she knows how to hide the scar in plain sight. Mine, though, was harder.”

“Did Baze help with that too?”

“No. I did it myself. I tried to burn it off.”

“What?!”

Cassian kissed the top of his head. “I was young, stupid, and on really strong pain killers. Chemical burns are pretty serious. They almost had to take me to the hospital for that. After that, I wasn't allowed to be alone until they could wean me off them. Not long after, Jyn and I left. Traveled around for a bit before settling here. The guardians followed us eventually, after we started gathering our own people here. It's been a while now since anything has actually been a threat to us.”

“Let me help? Please?”

“You can help by staying as far away from any of this as you can. I can't do my job if I'm worrying about you.”

“I can defend myself,” Bodhi said, feeling suddenly prickly.

“But will it be enough? They won't hold back.”

“So what am I supposed to do? Cower in fear and never live my life? I'm not going to do that.” He pinched Cassian's side. “I'm tougher than I look.”

“I know you are,” Cassian soothed. “And Jyn knows that if anything happens to you, it'll mean her head.”

Bodhi jumped up. “You threatened her?!”

Cassian's face was impassive. “She knew my reasons for not wanting to date anyone outside of this business. I hold her directly responsible if anything were to happen to you.”

“What is wrong with you! Do you really think so little of us—of her! That you think threatening her is necessary?! Cassian!” Bodhi jumped off the bed, storming toward the bathroom.

“Why do you think I asked her to train you.” Cassian followed him into the doorway. “I know you are stronger than you look, but there is a difference between stumbling into this and being born into it. Both Jyn and I, this has been our entire lives. Jyn—”

“I know she's the daughter of Galen Erso. I heard her name used. I'm not stupid.”

“I never thought you were.” Cassian hesitated to reach forward, hand gently brushing Bodhi's shoulder as he hunched over the sink. When he didn't move away, Cassian stepped closer. “Has she ever told you...about her family.”

“Jyn doesn't talk about anything.”

“For reasons. She burned a lot of bridges getting away from her family. That's why she uses Andor. She doesn't want to be connected to the Ersos any longer.”

“Then why would you threaten her? She's your family, can't you see that?”

“So are you.”

Bodhi sniffed; turning to face him, his eyes roamed over Cassian's face.

“And if you thought I had betrayed you?”

“You wouldn't. I trust you.”

“Can you though? Why should I believe that, if you're so easily able to turn against her.”

“Does it surprise you?”

“Yes.” Bodhi looked away. “Call me naive if you want, but it really does.”

“This is war, Bodhi. We have to make the difficult choices at some point. I've made many, some of which have been hard to live with. I won't lose you, but I will let you go, if that's what you want.” Cassian stepped back. “I'll let you think about it.”

“Don't,” Bodhi whispered. “I'm not leaving. No matter what happens. I love you. And you need me just as much as I need you right now.”

Shoulders slumping, Cassian reached toward Bodhi as his phone went off. He bit his lip, conflicted.

Snorting, Bodhi waved him away. “Go. They'll just come in if you don't answer.” He shooed him away, turning back toward the sink. Splashing water on his face, he tried to hold back his tears. It had been such a long day and every new piece of information had felt like a blow that hurt more than the last. He didn't know what to believe anymore, only that he wasn't going to run. He'd figure something out. He had to.

It didn't surprise him to see Cassian getting dressed as he walked back toward the bed. Nothing good came from phone calls at two in the morning. “How long?”

“I don't know. A day, maybe. Bodhi, I'm sorry.” Cassian wouldn't met his eyes. “I dumped so much on you tonight, and for what? What does it do but cause more problems?”

“Cassian, who have you ever talked to anyone about this, about any of this?”

“Jyn. Chirrut, once. You.”

“I'd like to hear more when you get back. If you want. It might help.”

“You should go someplace safer,” Cassian said halfheartedly.

“Is that an order?”

“Would you listen if it was?”

“Of course not.” Bodhi was pleased to see that got Cassian smiling, even it faded away immediately. “You're not getting rid of me so easily.”

Nodding, Cassian pulled him into a kiss. Bodhi eagerly returned it.

“Come back safely,” Bodhi said. He followed him downstairs, biting his lip.

“Bistan is on tonight. Go to him immediately if you need anything.”

“Please come back.” He gulped. “Cass. Say you'll come back.”

“Goodbye Bodhi.”

“Cassian. Please.”

Cassian kissed his forehead; he stepped away, quietly closing the door behind him.

Fighting against the rising panic, Bodhi hurried toward his bag. He needed to move quickly. Something was telling him that there wasn't much time left.

* * *

Bodhi sat in his car, rubbing at his face. He was tired; he hadn't slept at all the night before, hoping to hear from Cassian—hoping that he would come home. Even Jyn had been silent thus far. He told himself not to worry, that this was normal.

What wasn't normal was sitting in his car around the corner from Kay's office at ten in the morning. After realizing he wasn't going to sleep, he had sent Winter a text explaining that he wouldn't be able to come in. He had spent the rest of his time organizing his notes, saving everything to a flash drive; he also had a hard copy of certain documents sealed in an envelope. He checked his messages again. Kay had told him to have them send him up; he was busier than normal that day and wouldn't be able to leave his desk. Checking one last time that the wrapped sandwich and bottled drink looked innocent enough, he started to get out, pausing when his phone rang. He frowned, recognizing his father's number.

“Dad? Is everything alright? You never call me.”

“Why was a known gangster talking to your brother last night?”

Freezing, Bodhi leaned back in his seat, eyes squeezed shut. “What are you talking about? What's Benji up to now?”

“Don't play innocent. I know this has something to do with you. Remember those photos your brother mentioned? I had them looked into. You've been seen with quite a few less than savory people lately. Should I have been investigating this boyfriend of yours?”

“Dad, there's nothing going on. I'm working for an investigation company. I can't help who I met in order to get what we need. And besides, I should be mad that you've been having me followed. Don't think I didn't recognize the private investigator you always use following me around the market the other day.”

“It is within my right to protect this family! What do you have to say for yourself?”

Clenching his fist, Bodhi glanced at the time. “Dad, I really can't talk right now, I'm in the middle of work. I'll talk to you later, alright? Love you.” He hung up while his father was still yelling into the phone; he set every number he could associate with his family to go straight to voicemail, before climbing out of the car.

Unlike the last time he had been there, the receptionist barely paid attention to him. She buzzed upstairs, waving him forward after a few hushed words into the phone. The bag check was more thorough than normal. For a moment, he was worried that they were going to find the flash drive hidden in the wrapping, but other than move everything around, they just waved him toward the metal detector.

“Step forward after you put everything on the counter.”

“My boots are steel toed. Is that going to matter?” he asked, trying to keep his nerves in check.

The guard shrugged. “Probably. These machines are pretty sensitive. Take them off. Belt too, if you're wearing one.”

He pulled them off quickly, dropping them on the table. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as another man pick them up and gave them a once over. Thankfully, the arch support he had added hid the false bottom; he waited for them to clear him before lacing up. Waving a thanks, he moved toward the elevators, sighing in relief once the door closed. The burner phone had worried him the most; after that, the rest of this should be easy enough.

Upstairs, the office seemed to be in disarray. People were rushing about while phones were ringing in the background. No one paid him any attention as he worked his way back toward the conference room Kay called an office. Knocking twice, he pushed the door open.

He panicked then, seeing the empty room. He was sure Kay had said to meet him there at ten. Wondering if he had gotten something wrong, he started to check his phone when he heard someone clearing their throat behind him. “Can I help you?”

Jumping, Bodhi spun around. He recognized the man from the bakery, the one Pao had hugged. Trying to find his words, he vaguely gestured toward the room behind him. “I was supposed to drop off some food. I was told to bring it up.”

The man studied him before motioning for him to step inside. He closed the door and locked it before moving toward one of the desks. “If you're here for Kay, he unfortunately got pulled into a meeting a bit ago. He won't be out for a while. I can take that and hold it for him.”

Bodhi watched him, wary of a trap. “No offense, but I don't know who you are. I was told to give this to Kay only, no one else.”

Smiling, the man held his hand out. “My name is Melshi. I'm working with Kay at the moment. You must be Bodhi.” He laughed at his puzzled expression. “He told me to wait for you. Truth be told, I'm quite happy to not have to sit through hours of supervisors telling me what I already know. Let Kay deal with it. Have a seat, will you?”

Bodhi remained standing. “I, ah, I can just come back later.”

Melshi gave him an appraising look. “If you wish, but I won't touch it. I promise.”

Unsure, Bodhi set the bag on the counter. “So...you're Kay's partner?”

“For now. Among other things.” Melshi's smile returned. It was easy and light, and seemed to say that he knew more than he let on.

Blushing slightly, Bodhi pulled the envelope from inside his jacket. “I brought this as well.”

Taking it carefully, Melshi leaned across the desks to tuck it into Kay's drawer. “Don't worry, no one will come in as long as I'm here.” He seemed to want to say something else; he was interrupted by his phone. Frowning at the screen, he was distracted as he said, “I'm sure he'll thank you for it later.”

Bodhi jumped as his phone rang.

“You should answer that,” Melshi said, still frowning at whatever he was reading. “She'll be worried if you don't.”

Startled, Bodhi opened his mouth; he wanted to ask Melshi what he meant, but he held back, reaching for his phone instead. “Hello?”

“Bodhi? Where are you?”

“Jyn? What's wrong?”

“Where are you?!”

Gulping, he turned away from Melshi, covering as much of his phone as he could. “I'm running an errand. Is everything okay? Is Cassian hurt?”

“So you're not at home? Thank god.”

“Jyn...you're starting to scare me.”

“Bodhi, listen to me.” Her voice sounded strained; she raised her voice for a moment over the noises in the background. “They figured out where Cassian lived. They attacked the house this morning. Bistan made it out, but barely. He said he thought you had left, but he wasn't sure.”

Feeling faint, Bodhi gripped the back of the chair. He missed Melshi glancing at him, not seeing the worried look in his eyes as he typed out a message. “Oh fuck. Was anyone hurt?”

“Nothing major. But they also found where Cassian and I were this morning.” She hesitated, voice dropping. “They, uh, they came for blood.”

“Jyn. What happened to Cassian?”

“He was hit. Gunshot wound to the shoulder. He's fine, or as fine as he can be. We're safe right now. But I'm worried about you.”

Her words, beyond Cassian being shot, barely registered over the roaring in his ears. “No, nononono....”

“He's fine! Trust me. He's throwing a fit in the other room. But I need you to get someplace safe as soon as possible.”

“I'm in downtown. I can get to the guardian's place in about twenty minutes.”

“Good. I'm sending someone to follow you. Don't wait, just start driving. I'll check in soon, so make sure you answer.”

“Um, yeah, okay. I gotta go, talk to you soon.” He hung up, feeling sick. He jerked back as Melshi touched his arm.

“Where did you park?”

“Around the corner...”

“I'll walk you to your car. Try and act normal. No one else knows yet. It'll be fine.”

Bodhi frowned at him. Weighing the options in his head, he made up his mind quickly; shoulders dropping, he nodded and tried to calm down. “I think I'm ready. I, ah, I can trust you, can't I?”

“Trust is an interesting concept. We all rely on it too much for our own good. But in this case, I don't think you need to worry about that. Let's go.”

As the elevator doors opened, someone called out to Melshi. Swearing, he turned as the man rushed up. “Draven needs you to look at something.”

“Can it wait?”

“No, he says it's urgent.”

Melshi glanced at Bodhi, gesturing for him to go on. “Don't wait for me. I'll be down as soon as I can,” he mumbled. To the waiting man, he said, “tell him he has five minutes.”

Bodhi tried to steady his breathing as he rode to the ground floor. He was mostly under control as he walked across the lobby, though he was glad that no could see his hands shaking. Outside, the bright sun seemed to make a mockery of things; the weather was unusually warm for early March. It was the kind of day, that first warm one of the season, that Luke used to beg him to skip out on school or work to go with him to the beach. It was the kind of day that normally meant good memories; the opposite of the thoughts running through his head.

He wasn't paying attention as he rushed toward his car. He was buckling his seat belt before he realized something was wrong—he hadn't unlocked his door. Eyes widening, he reached for the door handle.

“Don't. I would so hate for things to get messy.”

Freezing, Bodhi gripped his phone tightly. He glanced at the rear view mirror, meeting the eyes of the man slumped in the back seat.

“Hello. I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting yet. Pity it's under such poor circumstances.” The man smiled, the scars on his face twisting it on one side. “Now, now, let's not play the hero, shall we? Why don't you just sit back and we can discuss things like normal, pleasant human beings? That sounds reasonable, does it not?”

Edging his hand toward the belt release, Bodhi held his breath, eyes never leaving the man.

“No. I don't think so.” In a flash, he was leaning over Bodhi's seat, knife pressed against his neck. “No sudden movements please. I'm afraid my hand is not very steady at the moment.” Smiling, Dryden Vos leaned in closer, lips brushing against his ear. “It would be such a shame to ruin such a lovely interior.”

Bodhi was afraid to breath. He held himself as still as possible, his heart racing. He closed his eyes as the passenger door opened and Qi'ra climbed inside, looking disgruntled.

“Everything okay, love?”

“They've been taken care of, but I'm sure it won't take her long to send others.” Qi'ra plucked Bodhi's phone from his hand as the notification went off. “Speak of the devil....should I respond?”

“What's it say?”

Qi'ra held the phone, waiting. Hand shaking, Bodhi unlocked it, whimpering as Vos pushed the knife tighter against his neck. Glaring, Qi'ra read the text. “It's from someone called princess. She says the party's been canceled and wants to know when to reschedule.”

“Who the hell is princess?” There was an edge to his voice that made Bodhi close his eyes again.

“My friend. We—we were supposed to have a, a party for her boyfriend. Please, I need to answer. She'll start calling if I don't.”

“Fine. Qi'ra, make it quick.”

“Tell her,” Bodhi said, voice catching. “Tell her that a may day would be better. For work reasons.”

Frowning at him, Qi'ra typed out what he said, hitting send.

“Now that that's taken care of, let us move on before anymore inconveniences interrupted us, shall we? Qi'ra, be a dear and make sure he listens.”

Qi'ra set his phone aside. Once Vos leaned back in his seat, she pointed a gun at Bodhi, keeping it below the dash. “I will use this,” she said, voice soft. “Drive until I tell you to stop.”

Nodding, Bodhi started the car, sniffing. He checked his mirrors before pulling out; merging into the traffic flowing by after the corner, he failed to see Melshi step outside, watching them as they drove away. He bit back a sob, trying to keep calm, as Vos started humming along to music only he could hear in the backseat.

* * *

Jyn hissed as Chirrut pressed a damp cloth to the cut on her shoulder, fingers feeling around to make sure he had the right spot.

“There's another one about four inches below that,” Bistan mumbled, holding an ice pack to his forehead.

Glaring at him, Jyn glanced toward Cassian; he had finally fallen silent, face tight as Baze worked on his shoulder. “This is bad,” Baze murmured, worried. “It goes pretty deep. I really think you should see a real doctor for this.”

“No,” Cassian gritted out, teeth clenched tight enough that Jyn worried he'd break his teeth. “Where the fuck is Bodhi?” he spat, growling as Baze started working again.

“I'm finding out. I'm still waiting for his escorts to check in. They're late.” She grabbed her phone when it chimed. She hoped Bodhi was smart enough to recognize the fake name and number she had used; frowning, she read his words twice, before glancing at Cassian. “It's Bodhi. He says a may day would be better.”

“What?” He looked pale as he stared at her in horror.”

“A may day would be better.”

Cassian's face paled further. “He found him.”

“Boss?” Bistan asked, confused.

“Bodhi...Vos found him. He has my Bodhi.” Cassian's breathing sped up.

“Hey, calm down,” Baze said, pressing against his shoulder. “You're still bleeding and you're making it worse.”

Cassian fought against him. “I'll kill him! Let me go!”

“Cassian, stop!” Jyn held her phone up. “I've already got another team in place to stop them. We'll get him back. Please calm down.”

“Calm down?! That bastard has my Bodhi! Get him back! Get him back now!”

“Stop it! Chirrut, help me!” Baze snarled, hanging on to Cassian, trying and failing to keep him from standing up. Chirrut hurried over, wrapping his arms around him. Baze grabbed a syringe off the tray next to him. “This better be the right dose.”

“I'd check, but it'd be a little hard to see,” Chirrut joked, struggling to hold Cassian still.

“You know, any other time, that would be hilarious,” Baze muttered, jabbing the needle into Cassian's arm. “Stop fighting us, we're trying to help.”

Cassian's eyes were wild. “Get him back!” He twisted free, stumbling toward the door. He growled as Baze caught him again. “Let me go, you son of a bitch! Let me go!” He swung his head, biting hard into Baze's arm. His breathing grew labored, legs sliding under him as Baze swore. He jerked away from Chirrut's grip, eyes coming up to meet Jyn's. “This is your fault. Find him or I'll make you pay.”

She watched as the guardians pushed him back onto the bed, Baze bending over to apply pressure to his shoulder again.

“That was stupid and you now it. You better hope I can stop the bleeding this time.” Baze scowled at him.

“Jyn...please...find him.” His eyes closed as the sedative kicked in.

“How much did you give him? You know that wasn't designed for humans,” Chirrut said, worried. “It shouldn't have worked that quickly.”

“Whatever was in the syringe. I didn't have time to check. Did you want him bleeding out on the carpet?”

Jyn stopped listening. Threats, she could handle—Cassian had stopped scaring her years ago. But begging...she had never heard Cassian beg before. Gulping, she picked up her phone. She would call in all her favors if need be. Please don't do anything stupid, she thought as she pulled up Kay's personal number.

“It's Erso. I need you to meet us. Something went wrong.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry. Or maybe I'm not. Either way, enjoy a cliff hanger. I'll try and be back in a few days with the continued torture of our lovely couple.


	23. Chapter 23

“Do you have any idea just how bad you fucked everything up?” Kay asked upon entering the building. He scowled at Jyn. “I thought you 'had this covered', or was that just you pretending to know what you were doing?”

Refusing to open her eyes, Jyn leaned further back against the wall. “Don't make me regret not shooting you that time.”

“I'm serious. I had everything on my end set up to go. All I needed you two idiots to do was not draw any attention to yourselves. You couldn't even do that. Where's Cassian anyway? I want to yell at him too.”

Baze walked in, shaking his head. “He's going to be out for a while. We should probably think about taking him—”

“No.” Jyn shook her head; she hadn't felt this tired in a while. Blinking, she pointed at Baze. “No hospitals. How are you going to explain what happened to him? Or worse, how are you going to stop him from signing himself out as soon as he wakes up?”

“If he wakes up,” he muttered, rubbing his forehead.

“It's Cass. He's too stubborn to die.”

Kay held his hand up. “Someone want to fill me in with all the details?”

“In a moment. First, did you get the information I sent?” Jyn asked.

Hesitating, Kay pulled a chair closer toward her. “There is an investigation team in route. Two bodies were found in a car not far from the station. Whoever did it tried to make it look like a car accident but they weren't very good. The entry wounds were pretty obvious.” Kay held his phone out to her. “Yours?”

Nodding, Jyn turned away. “And Bodhi?”

Kay sighed. “They found his car, just where you said it would be. They managed to get the flames out before it completely destroyed it. Phone and wallet in the glove box. No body was recovered. We're checking for prints.”

“He wasn't in it,” Baze said, certain.

“Most likely not. They probably took him for a different reason.”

Nodding, Jyn slumped back in her chair. “Good. Then we need to get started as soon as possible.”

“I think we need to think things through a bit more,” Baze said. He crossed his arms over his chest. “If we rush in now, we might make things worse.”

“We have to find him,” Jyn muttered. “Preferably before Cassian wakes up.”

“He had his other phone with him, did he not? I've been trying to track it but it hasn't pinged yet. It's active, though; I'd know if it was destroyed.”

“What kind of modification did you put on it?” Kay's eyes narrowed.

“Do you really want to ask that question?”

Sighing, Kay gestured around the room. “What do you need?”

“Nothing. Just access to your system.”

“Is this an official request?”

“It is. I'm finally calling in what's owed to me.”

“You know I can't authorize that,” Kay warned. “It'll have to go through Draven.”

“That's fine.” Baze smirked. “He owes me anyway for all the overtime I used to put in. I'll go call him. Jyn, meet me in the office in a bit.”

Waving him away, she glanced at Kay. “What was Bodhi doing at your station?”

“If you don't know that, why should I tell you?”

She didn't have a response.

* * *

They had driven around for what felt like hours, though Bodhi knew it couldn't have been more than fifteen minutes. Qi'ra's hand never once wavered as she guided him toward the shipping yards. Behind him, Vos's excessive humming was beginning to get on his nerves; remembering Baze's words, Bodhi did his best to remain calm. It wouldn't do to panic now—if he kept his head, he just might be able to get out of this. Yeah right.

“Over there. By the van.”

Gulping, he parked his Pilot near where she had pointed, eyes wide.

“Get out and keep your hands up. Try to run and I will shoot you,” she warned, eyes cold.

Nodding, he climbed from the car, hands shaking as he held them out and even with his head. He jumped as the sliding door opened. Two men jumped out, surrounding him as Qi-ra approached. His hands were quickly bound together as he was forced to his knees; a gag followed quickly before his legs were tied together.

“Gentlemen, please,” Vos said, sounding bored. “That's no way to treat a guest. Let us show a bit of hospitality, shall we?”

Breathing heavily, Bodhi squirmed as they tossed him into the back of the van; the windows in the back were blacked out, making it nearly impossible to see what was inside. He twisted onto his side, trying to roll away as Qi-ra reached in to check his pockets. She still had his phone; soon, she had his wallet as well. She held them out to another man that had appeared beside her. “Take these and his car. Make sure to slow them down.”

“Right. We got this.”

She watched them walk away before turning toward Vos, leaning in to whisper something in his ear. Bodhi missed out on what followed as a blindfold was forced over his eyes. Fighting against the rising panic, he curled up as best he could as more people climbed in around him.

The drive bordered on excruciating. He felt every bump and dip in the road as the hard metal floor pressed into him; each turn sent him rolling into the wall and occasionally a set of hard dress shoes. Every time he thought he could get loose, he was sent flying, disorienting him once again. He gave up and settled in to wait.

He lost track of time, groaning in relief as the van stopped. He was dragged out and across a concrete floor before being dumped unceremoniously against the legs of a chair. “Get him up,” Vos growled.

Hands roughly grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling him into a sitting position. Bodhi tugged uselessly against the ropes, crying out around the gag as the blindfold was pulled off and bright light hit his face. Blinking, he cleared his eyes, swallowing against his fear. The room around him looked as if it had been a hotel lobby once, though it had long been abandoned. The room had been gutted, work lights placed around for illumination.

“Do you like it? I'm thinking of having it renovated, maybe making it a nightclub. Can you imagine it?” Vos stared at him, as if waiting for a response. “Of course, it'll need a lot of work. And first I'll have to eliminate a little problem.”

Bodhi stared back in horror. He fought against his fear, repeating Baze's lessons in his head. Number one, stay calm. Number two, assess the situation. Look for openings, weak spots in defense. Number three, be as patient as possible. Wait until the enemy isn't paying attention, then strike as necessary. Number four, if there is no other option, fight dirty. He glanced toward the side, where two men were approaching. Around the perimeter of the room, Vos's men were standing in wait.

“Ah, just the man I was waiting for!” Vos called, throwing his arms up. “Come closer so we can talk.”

Walking with a swagger, one of the men grinned. “Hey boss! I finished what you asked for. It was easy. I don't know what the crazy bitch was complaining about.”

“Was it now?” Vos asked softly, sitting in the chair next to Bodhi. A small smile played across his lips as he quirked his eyebrow.

Bodhi recognized the man. He had driven him around the night he had called Jyn for help. His eyes widened; it was clear the man did not recognize him. Nor could he see just how much trouble he was in.

“Yeah, they weren't hard to find. They weren't even trying to be subtle.” He laughed, turning to nod at the man behind him. “Bitch was crazy to tell us to just distract them. They weren't even armed.”

Bodhi's heart rate sped up as Vos leaned back, left leg crossed over his knee. “Were those your orders?”

Blinking, the man shrugged. “Yeah, but that was pointless. If we're planning to take over this area, why leave them alone. We need to take out as many of the Rogues as possible—”

“But what were your exact orders?”

Confused, the man frowned.

Vos sighed, irritated now. “Your orders were to distract, to cause an accident so they couldn't track us. Instead, you decided that you knew better than everyone else and killed them, leaving their bodies out in the open. Drawing attention. Did that really seem wise to you?”

“Boss?”

“Are you seriously this idiotic?!” Vos yelled, jumping to his feet. “There are orders handed down for a reason! It is not your place to disobey them, no matter who passes it on! You are nothing. You aren't even worth the dirt on your shoes. And what do you do? You completely ruin everything! Why, if it was worth my time, I'd see you suffer for this!”

The air around them was electric. Bodhi tried to move away, leaning to the side as Vos stalked toward the man.

The man was staring in disbelief. “I—ah—I can make it up! I can fix this!”

“And why should I believe you?” Vos waved at the man behind him, who grabbed his shoulders as he kicked his legs out, forcing him to his knees. Pointing back at Bodhi, Vos said, “make sure he watches.”

Bodhi cried out, the sound muffled through the gag as his head was pulled back roughly by the hair. He was turned, neck wrenching as he was forced to face Vos.

Smiling like a serpent, Vos held his hand out. The goon holding the man handed over his gun, stepping back. The man started begging. “I'm sorry! Boss, I can fix this! I can fix this! Just give me a chance.”

Head tilting to the side, Vos considered. “I should be nice. I should let you correct your little...indiscretion. But when have I ever been nice? Nice just makes you soft. Technically, I should allow you to pay for this.” He dropped the smile, gun whipping up. “But you're not worth the time.”

Bodhi screamed as the first shot hit, the man jerking back. Hyperventilating, he watched the man fall backwards, blood slowly seeping onto the floor. The man's eyes were wide, his hand coming up to flail at the wound. He gasped as Vos glared down at him.

“Take this trash somewhere else before he ruins my floor further. And see to it that his end is slow.” He handed back the gun, wiping his hands on his pants before coming to crouch in front of Bodhi. “Just think, soon, that will be your little lover. I'm going to make him pay for what he did to me, and you're going to help. I think we'll be having quite a lot of fun soon, don't you?”

Shaking, Bodhi blinked as the first tear fell. He understood what Cassian had meant. Vos was beyond reason. There was no hope for mercy—his eyes were filled with a sadistic light. For a moment, shock drove away every lesson the guardians had tried to instill. He was scared. He wanted to go home, but home seemed impossible.

Vos grabbed his face; Bodhi fought hard not to react, though he couldn't stop the flinch. “Yes, I will quite enjoy this. I wonder how long it will take before I can break you? If he'll even come for you?” Vos smiled, eyes flashing with a dangerous light. “Who do you think will make the first move? The game is ready, let's just see if he takes the bait. Shall we?”

* * *

“This is all my fault,” Luke moaned, head in his hands.

“Luke, please shut up.”

“It is. I shouldn't have yelled at him yesterday.”

Leia sighed. “Yes, you definitely shouldn't have done that. I told you not to, but you're too stubborn to listen to me, now aren't you.”

“How can you joke about this?! This is serious!” He glared at his sister, fists clenched in his lap.

“If you think for one moment that I'm not worried about him, then you have to be the stupidest person I've ever met.” Leia glanced toward the doorway where Wedge was talking with Sergeant Melshi; she frowned as he looked up and smiled upon catching her eye. “Luke, he'll be okay.”

“This is all because of that stupid guy he's been seeing. I shouldn't have let him go back there, he'd be safe right now if I hadn't.”

Leia grabbed him, pulling him back toward the hall. “Shut up! Listen, we told everything to that detective. He said he'd look into it. Now stop talking.”

Luke snorted, wiping at his face. “I bet whoever this Cassian person is has paid off most of the cops around here. Nothing is going to be done.”

“Please be quiet.” Leia shook his shoulders. “You don't understand anything right now.”

“Oh yeah? And what don't I understand, miss smartypants?”

“Luke, you can't be this dense. Haven't you noticed how agitated Dad's been lately?”

“He's been like that since Thanksgiving.”

“No, he's been worse.” Leia leaned in, dropping her voice. “There's something going on that's got him worried. He knew Cassian, that's a fact, but he also knew Jyn. We all did, once.”

Frowning, Luke stared at her.

“Oh my god, you can't be this dense. Luke, think back to after we moved back in with mom. Tell me you don't remember the girl she was helping then.”

“What are you talking about, Leia? What girl? There was never any—oh shit! That was her?” His eyes widened as he looked at her in shock.

“You really are an idiot and the most self centered person I know. You don't notice anything unless it has to do with you. Jyn was running from something then. She brought Cassian over toward the end. I think that whatever they were running from finally caught up to them.”

“Then this is still his fault. Bodhi wouldn't be missing if he hadn't been dating him—”

“And if you had been a better friend maybe he would have come to us for help. You are the absolute worst—”

Clearing his throat, Wedge leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. “Am I interrupting something important?”

The twins stepped apart, though Luke wasn't able to keep the guilty look off his face. Wedge gave him a look that said they'd talk later before sighing and retreating to the living room. “That detective—Sergeant Melshi said that they found a set of prints that don't match Bodhi's in his car. They're looking into it right now. He's running second on this investigation and said that we should contact him if we have any additional information for him.”

Luke shuffled out after him. “Is he going to look into this Cassian person?”

“He already has. Apparently, someone matching Cassian's description was seen earlier today outside of town, so it's likely he's not involved in this. They're looking for him now, though.”

“He could have had someone else do it,” Luke started, arguing halfheartedly.

“Give it a rest. Remember those two bodies he mentioned? The ones near Bodhi's last location? They worked for Cassian. So I have to agree that he's probably not the main suspect.”

“Then who—?” Leia frowned, glancing toward the front door. Someone was insistently knocking in a repeating pattern.

Wedge waved them toward the hall, taking his gun from the cabinet by the door. He kept it pointed down as he opened the door, glaring at the man standing outside.

“I have a takeout order here. May I come in?” he asked with a smile, bag hanging loose in his hand.

“We didn't order anything,” Wedge said, trying to close the door. The man was surprisingly strong; he pushed it open and stepped inside, holding an envelope in his hand. He waved it in front of his face, encouraging him to take it.

“What the hell?” Wedge started to grab his arm when Luke rushed up.

“Wait, you're that guy from tea place Bodhi took me to, aren't you?”

“I'm just here to deliver some food. I must have gotten the wrong address. Maybe you can help me?” He again waved the envelope, this time shoving it at Wedge's face. Pushing back the baseball cap that he wore, he turned his unseeing eyes in the direction of Luke's voice, dropping the bag on the floor. “I have it written here.”

Leia hurried over and plucked it from his hands. She tore it open, frowning as she read over the paper inside. “Is this correct?”

Nodding, the man clasped his hands in front of him, fingers momentarily searching for something he wasn't carrying.

Holding the paper out for Wedge to read, she turned back to the blind man. “You want next door. When you exit, go one to the right.”

“Ah, yes, sorry to be a bother.”

Wedge had paled as he handed the paper to Luke. In handwriting that he didn't recognize, someone had written “Go somewhere safe. This building is compromised. Crimson Dawn doesn't play games. Trust Chirrut, they've already been inside.” Luke started to say something, stopping at a look from Wedge. “Um. It's okay, it's easy to get confused. The names are almost the same.”

Nodding, Chirrut turned to leave. “Have a good day then.”

“Sure. Look, I'd better go in and see if they need any help today. Luke, you going to be okay?”

“Oh, ah—yeah. I should go visit mom anyway. I promised I would.” He glanced around the room, eyes worried.

“Call me when you get there,” Wedge said, kissing him. “Stay safe.”

“You too.” Gulping, Luke glanced at Leia.

“I'll drive you. I have something to drop off anyway.”

They choose to take the stairs, hurrying toward the ground floor. “How'd they even get inside?” Luke whispered, glancing around.

“You're the mafia expert, you tell me,” Leia muttered. She eased the door open, frowning as she saw Chirrut waiting outside the door for them. “Think we can trust him?”

“Bodhi did.”

She scowled before stepping out. Crossing the lobby, she pushed open the outer door and approached him. “Who exactly are you?”

“A friend.” Chirrut kept his voice low. “Bodhi is in danger and so are you. It's less likely that they will come after you, but there is a possibility. It's best if you go someplace safe, for now.”

“How do you know any of this? And why come to us? The police need this information.”

“My husband is currently helping them in their search. My orders though, come from someone else. I think you know who.” He glanced in Leia's direction, a shrewd look on his face.

“She could have contacted me herself,” she grumbled, ignoring the puzzled look from Luke.

“She's got a lot to deal with right now.”

“Fine. Luke, go to mom and dad. Tell them what happened and have dad call me. Wedge, do you want me to tell you what I find out?”

“What are you planning to do?” he asked. He held up his hands. “No, never mind, I don't want to know. Just stay safe, please.”

“Fine. Chirrut was it? Do you need a lift back? I might be able to offer some assistance.”

Grinning, he reached for her arm. “I'm sure she'd like that.”

* * *

“Whatever happens, make sure you have that phone on you at all times,” Baze had warned.

Bodhi had been lying on the floor, catching his breath. “I don't leave home without it.”

“Good. If you do need to use it, make sure you know your precise location. Otherwise, you'll need to leave it on as long as possible. I can track it, but it will take time.” Baze had held his hand out to pull him up. “It's still not a guarantee that we can keep you safe, but it's better than nothing.”

“I really don't want to think about this,” Bodhi had mumbled, rubbing his wrists.

“You don't have a choice. Not until I say you're done. Now, let's practice how to escape if your tied up again. You could use more work on that.”

Now, laying on the floor of a gutted room, Bodhi tried to bring his emotions under control. They had taken the gag off after leaving him there, though his hands and feet were still bound. His shoulders had long gone past aching and into screaming each time he tried to move. His legs were numb as well. He lay on his side, sniffing.

He didn't even know how bad Cassian was hurt. Jyn had said he was fine, but she could have been lying. He didn't even know if Cassian was still alive. Would he even risk coming after him? Would he send more of his people in?

Of course he would, he thought, huffing. It was Cassian. The one thing he could count on was him doing something stupid for him.

He panicked when he heard voices approaching outside. Even if he had been able, there was nowhere to hide. He closed his eyes as the door opened.

“Untie him. He can walk on his own for this.”

Crying out, he flinched as he was pulled across the floor. Gritting his teeth, Bodhi nearly sobbed as the ropes were cut away. Arms in agony, he slowly brought them around to hold loosely over his chest.

“Up,” Qi-ra said, face blank.

“What are you going to do to me? What—” Gasping, he curled up on the floor as the man with Qi-ra kicked him in the side.

“I would suggest you do as you're asked. It's for your own benefit.”

Blinking back tears, Bodhi struggled to get his feet under him. “I'm trying, please—”

“Up.”

“Please...” Biting his lip, Bodhi knew there was not point in trying to appeal to her. Qi-ra's eyes were cold as she walked from the room. Sniffing, he stumbled forward, legs shaking. Qi-ra led him through the halls, toward the former dining room, the man trailing behind shoving him whenever he slowed down.

“Ah, if it isn't the guest of honor!” Vos threw his napkin down, jumping to his feet. “Get him a chair and a plate. My dear, come sit beside me.”

Qi-ra gave him a fake smile, circling to sit on his left. Bodhi stared at him, afraid to break eye contact as another chair was brought forward. He perched on it's edge, muscles screaming in protest.

“Please, you must be starving. I've had this made especially for you. You must tell me what you think when you're done.” Vos took his seat again, reaching for Qi-ra's arm. “I had them make you your favorite as well, I do hope you enjoy it.”

“I'm sure it will be lovely.” She glanced at Bodhi before picking up her fork; she subtly tried to shift away from Vos without his notice.

Grinning brightly, he turned back toward Bodhi. “Eat. I'll be most displeased if you don't.”

Breathing deeply, Bodhi glanced at his plate. It appeared innocent enough—meatballs in gravy, mashed potatoes, salad. He flexed his fingers before reaching for the fork, the swelling making him clumsy.

“Good?” Vos asked after he took his first bite. He leaned back in his chair, eyes hooded. “Make sure you eat it all. I would hate to be accused of being a bad host. We must also get you nicer accommodations for later. After all, you might be with us for quite a while. Then again,” he said, reaching for his wine glass. “Then again, it would be so easy to just get rid of you now. Cassian, or whatever he's calling himself these days, would never know until it was too late. And poison is easy to disguise, so long as you are using the proper foods. It blends right in.”

Bodhi gagged, spitting out the bite he had just taken. Eyes wide, he frantically pushed the plate away, panic rising again.

“I'm merely joking.” Vos started laughing, hand coming up to rest on his chest. “Oh, but I never get tired of that reaction. I wouldn't waste perfectly good food to poison you. It would be so much easier to just kill you out right, but then where would the fun in that be?” He turned toward Qi-ra, who quickly plastered a tight smile to her face.

“He's off balance enough. Now might be a good time to ask him,” she said, keeping her voice soft.

“I know what I'm doing,” Vos huffed, face twisting in anger. He rolled his head from side to side, visibly trying to bring himself back under control. “But I'll admit, this grows boring. Now, Bodhi was it? Tell me where Cassian might be. I do need to find him, rather quickly if possible.”

Shaking his head, Bodhi stammered, “I—I don't know. He...he was at home this morning—”

“LIES!” Vos shouted, fists slamming onto the table, making everything jump.

Bodhi flinched back, heart racing.

“I asked you nicely and all I get are lies! I know he wasn't anywhere near that apartment. He was seen in the company of that insipid little problem named Erso. If I didn't know any better, I'd think her family was helping him, except that I know for a fact that her father is in jail because of her. No, I want to know where they are now. Tell me!”

“I don't—I don't know!” Bodhi was frantically shaking his head, tears running down his face. “I tried to call him—I—he wasn't answering and no one had seen him. He, he must have left—if he knew you were looking for him, he—he wouldn't have stayed.”

Vos sighed, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. “I really don't want to have to get rough with you. I have nothing personal against you. It's just, you make such good bait for Cassian. He's only ever had one other weak point, and that was Erso. I know he was confronted by my men this morning—and believe me, they will pay for their stupidity in letting him get away—but I do need to know where he is currently hiding. If you tell me, I promise you I'll let you go. There'd be no need to hold you any longer.” Vos forced a smile. “Oh yes, I'd let you go. I know you'd be smart enough not to tell anyone about this. After all, it would be so easy to hurt everyone you care about. This girl you were with that night...the party Qi-ra so conveniently happened to be at. Just how do you know Bail and Breha's daughter?”

Bodhi froze, eyes wide.

“Oh yes,” Vos said, voice low. “I know who she was. She lives on her own now, doesn't she? No active security? It'd be easy to get to her. So tell me, how do you know her?”

Mind raising, Bodhi drew in a deep breath. “I was friends with her brother.”

“The Organa's only ever had one child, who they adopted.” Vos gave him a look. “I'm disappointed in you.”

“It's not a lie. Yes, she was adopted, but I've met her family—her real family. Her brother—their father was Darth Vader.”

* * *

Head throbbing, Cassian slowly opened his eyes. He felt nauseous as he looked around the room, trying to get his bearings. His arms were cuffed to the sides of the bed; frowning, he tugged, hissing as the stitches in his shoulder pulled.

“If you reopen that again, I'm not helping you,” Baze said, carrying a tray in.

“Let me go now. I need to find Bodhi.”

“In time.” Baze set the tray on the nightstand, pulling a stool closer. “Draven gave me access to their system. I'm working with Kay. We'll find him, just as soon as he can get a signal out to us. Bodhi's smart. He'll be fine.”

“That's not my concern. Let me go. I need to find him.”

“Shut up.” Baze sighed as he leaned back in his chair. “I know what's going through your mind, but it's not going to do you any good. If you go out now, you're just risking getting yourself killed for nothing. Kay feels that your being alive is the only thing keeping Bodhi alive. I have to agree. We're doing everything we can to find him.”

“It's not enough,” Cassian said, a bite in his voice. He pulled again on the cuff, glaring at him. “Unlock me now.”

“You hold no power here,” Baze snorted. “If I wanted to, I could turn you in. I'm pulling in favors for this. So is Jyn. I like Bodhi. I'm not going to let him get hurt, so if that means I have to keep drugging you to keep you out of the way, I will. Now, are you done trying to assert your dominance or should I leave you here for a few more hours? Because now that you're awake, we could use your help.”

Cassian was breathing heavily. “I promised him I'd keep him safe.”

“You will. If you think about what you're going to do before you do it. You've survived this long—don't risk everything now.”

Sighing, Cassian slumped back. “I'll listen.”

“Will you?”

“Yes. I just need him to be okay.”

“I know,” Baze said softly. “You and I aren't that different.”

“I seem to remember you trying to arrest me once.”

“I let you go. Had a hell of a time explaining that to my superior.” Baze laughed as he unlocked the cuffs. “Bodhi will be fine. He'll survive. He reminds me of a less cynical Jyn.”

“No jokes about me having a type,” Cassian muttered, groaning as Baze helped him sit up.

“Of course not.” He handed Cassian a glass of water. “Drink, eat. We'll go talk to the others after. I need to know something from you first, though. What does Vos want from you?”

Cassian held the glass, staring without seeing into it. “For me to die. There's no other way out of this. He's going to keep coming unless I do.”

“I figured. Jyn's been preparing backup plans in case he finds us, but for now we seem good. I have security in place.”

Nodding, Cassian pushed himself to his feet, swaying for a moment before catching his balance. “How bad?”

“Right now? Bad. They've found some of your people, so they've scattered. We've lost contact with most of the leaders. Kay's being running the investigation—Draven gave it to him,” he said, seeing Cassian's puzzled look. “He's managed to keep most of what's happening quiet, except for Bodhi being kidnapped. Someone leaked something on that front.”

“Vos must have an informant. He's trying to draw me out.”

“Which is why we don't want you to leave.”

“I know,” Cassian mumbled, staggering into the living room. Jyn glanced up, startled, from the laptop she was hunched over with Leia. “Jyn. What have you found?”

“Enough to know who leaked our information.”

Cassian nodded. “Tell Kay. Then make arrangements. What about Bodhi?”

Glancing toward Leia, Jyn gulped. “I...haven't found much. I've been trying.”

Nodding, Cassian dropped onto the couch. “Keep looking. Leia, I'm sorry if you got involved in any of this. That was never my intent.”

Leia noted how pale he looked, as well as the slight shake to his hands. “My dad said he'd ask some people he knows to keep an eye out. They're the best at what they do. Plus, Ben is helping Chirrut gather as many allies as possible right now.”

“Ben Kenobi is helping us?”

“Old Obi-Wan used to be the best at what he did. He had one of the biggest informants ring around. Bodhi won't be missing for long.”

Nodding, Cassian leaned back and closed his eyes. “I need him to be safe. That's all I ask.”

* * *

Bodhi had been moved to a room upstairs after Vos had gone on a rampage.

“Anakin Skywalker is a pathetic excuse for a life form! He's nothing. Why should that scare me?”

“I—I didn't say it to—I didn't mean it that way,” Bodhi had said, backpedaling swiftly. “You asked how I knew her, well—that was it! I've met her parents before, before all of this. I was just answering your question.”

“No! No, you were threatening me! You specifically mentioned his name to make me think that there is someone besides Cassian looking for you! You're trying to trick me! Well, I know the truth. Anakin Skywalker isn't going to risk going back to prison to try and save you. You are nothing!”

Bodhi had looked away, eyes downcast. “No one is going to come after me. Not even Cassian. I mean nothing to him. You're just wasting your time right now.”

Vos had shoved the table aside, making Qi-ra leap to her feet to stop him. Knocking her arm away, he had advanced on Bodhi. “You think you can manipulate me? You think you can control me! I hold all the power here! You have nothing!”

Now, sitting on the edge of a mattress on a rusting metal bed, left ankle shackled to it, Bodhi rubbed his jaw. Vos's punch had caught him by surprise, knocking him back before he could defend himself. Qi-ra had pulled Vos back, furiously whispering something to him as Vos had raged on. One of his men had been quick to drag Bodhi away, kicking him whenever he couldn't keep up. His knee hurting, Bodhi watched as the man circled the room. “Boy, you really pissed off the boss. Were you trying to die?”

“He asked a question so I answered it,” Bodhi muttered, glancing toward the boarded up window. A sliver of light streamed in from the edge near the top.

“Don't even think about it,” he said, laughing. “There's bars on the outside. Besides, even if you could get loose, where do you think you could even run to? This whole area is abandoned. No one comes through here and any person you come across belongs to Vos. You'd just die if you tried. None of us care about what happens to you. We'd just as soon see you dead.”

Bodhi ignored him; it felt as if the man was just trying to scare him further, but after seeing Vos lose control over the mention of a name, he found his fear fading. If he was careful, he might be able to spin this in his favor. “How am I supposed to go to the bathroom?” he asked, gesturing toward his ankle. “There's no toilet in the bathroom even if I could move that far.”

The guard shrugged. “Use the bucket.” He kicked it toward Bodhi as he headed for the door. “I don't give a shit what you do.”

Bodhi waited until he heard the door close, locks built into the outside of it being set before he stood up. His body was aching as he limped toward the window, huffing as the chain stopped him from fully reaching it. Up close, he could see that the light was getting brighter. It must be morning, he thought. It had been dark when he was first brought up here. He'd been missing for almost a day. He was tired, he was hungry, and he wanted to go home. Limping back to the bed, he looked around for something he could use as a weapon; aside from the bucket and the bed, the room was empty. His thoughts turned toward the phone in his boot—he had been relieved when they had just unlaced the upper half, not bothering to remove them. As much as he wanted to pull it out, make the call right now, he needed to wait. There were too many people moving around outside; at any moment, he knew that they could come for him again. He needed to be patient. There was still time.

He must have fallen asleep; he was startled awake by a man and a woman shoving his door open and grabbing him.

“Vos has some more questions for you. Get moving.”

He stumbled along, doing his best to keep up with their quick stride. He was hardly surprised when this time he was brought to a different room, though this time his heart did drop at the angry expression on Vos's face. “So, it would appear that I've underestimated you. One of my businesses was raided this morning. Care to explain yourself?”

Bodhi blinked, head tilted to the side. “What makes you think I had anything to do with it?”

“Don't play dumb! I hate people that play dumb! You gave that detective something yesterday. What was it?!”

Bodhi gulped. He thought back over all the people he had run into, trying to place who it might have been.

Vos's patience had run out. “Keeping quiet won't help you. I was nice to you before, but not now. You'll suffer for this and it will be your own fault. Let's see how well Cassian likes you once you're missing part of your ear or a few fingers.” Vos snapped his fingers and the two guards holding Bodhi shoved him toward the center of the room.

He fought back as best as he could while held in place. Fear rising, he turned his head to look at Qi-ra, silently begging her to help.

“No. You look at me. Answer my questions or you don't walk out of here alive.” He gripped his face tight, nails digging into his chin. “I will make you suffer. So decide right now just how far you are willing to take this, because I can do this all day if necessary. When I'm done with you, they won't be able to piece you back together.”

He stepped back and tilted his head. “Shall we begin?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up. I'm going to try to have it done within the next few days, but if not there will be a long delay before the next update. Fear not, this story will have an end (and possibly a sequel if I can't talk myself out of it...please talk me out of it). If anything needs be added to the tags, please let me know and I'll update them as soon as possible. Thanks for reading!


	24. Chapter 24

It was easy to lose track of time—Bodhi had no phone, no watch, and no access to natural light. He had also not been returned to room with the bed yet. Each time Vos sent him away, with a new collection of bruises and a growing sense of dread, he was taken someplace new. He had also not been left alone in all that time. The regret of not using the hidden phone earlier was a constant ache. Baze had told him to be patient and look for an opportunity—he feared he had missed his one and only chance.

Now, sitting in a corner with his legs sprawled in front of him, he kept his eyes tightly shut as he took stock. While Vos rarely laid a hand on him, beyond the first time, he let his men do his dirty work. The last kick to the ribs had been especially painful. Even breathing was beginning to hurt. His right knee was now swollen as well, making it difficult to bend.

“No sleeping.” The man in the room with him kicked his leg, making him yelp.

“I wasn't,” Bodhi croaked, pulling his legs back toward his body as best he could. He slowly opened his eyes, waiting for a wave of dizziness to pass. “Can I please have some water?”

Hands shot out and grabbed his throat. Gasping, Bodhi clutched at his arms, trying feebly to break his hold.

“You think you're in any position to ask for something, huh? You think you have any power here? I should gut you right now. Why the boss is keeping you alive, I don't know. You're too stupid to be of any use.”

Gritting his teeth, Bodhi managed to twist away enough to bite his wrist. Shouting, the guard shoved his head into the wall with a sickening thud. Bodhi saw stars as the man let go of his throat to punch him in the nose. After the third blow, Bodhi rolled onto his side, curling up with his hands over his head to protect himself as much as he could.

“That's enough.”

Qi-ra's voice was cold enough to freeze the room. The man stepped back swiftly, hands at his side. Cracking his left eye open, Bodhi watched as the man looked at her in fear.

“Your orders were to keep him awake, nothing more. Do you think it wise to go against what Vos told you to do?”

“No ma'am.”

She stared him down, before nodding at the door. “Out. I'll take this.”

Licking his lip, the man glanced toward Bodhi. “He's not supposed to be left alone.”

“He won't be. Now leave.”

Breathing in slow, shallow breaths, Bodhi stayed curled up, warily watching her move about the room. Trying to keep his movements to a minimum, he tucked the knife and keys he had pulled from the guard's jacket into his boot. He had just finished when Qi-ra stopped in front of him.

“You are quite an interesting person, aren't you Bodhi?”

Clutching his ribs, he shakily pulled himself back up into a sitting position, wiping the blood from his face. “I don't try to be.”

“But you are.” She squatted down in front of him, balancing lightly on her heels. She had changed into a midnight blue dress trimmed in gold, her hair in perfect curls framing her face. “You have Vos very upset right now. It's obvious that you must know where Cassian is hiding and yet you've told us nothing. The level of loyalty you've shown is remarkable. Just what are you to him?”

“A liability.”

Qi-ra shook her head. “No. You're something more. In the last day, there have been attacks on many of our people. They've been searching for you. And I want to know why.”

Bodhi shook his head. “I'm nothing, you must know that by now. I'm a liability, a loose end. He won't come for me. I'm just something for him to fuck when he wants it.”

The smile she gave him made her look sad. “We both know that's not true. Trying to sell that kind of a lie to me of all people isn't going to work.” She stood up and headed for the door, picking up a bottle that had been left outside. “It's just water,” she said, handing it to him. “You know he's not going to let you go, even if he does find Cassian?”

“I know,” he whispered, eyes downcast.

“I truly feel sorry for you. This kind of life isn't for everyone.”

“Then why are you in it?”

She tilted her head, appraising him. “Because I never had a choice. And by the time I did, I quite liked the power. There are only a handful of people I have to take orders from. Can you say the same?”

Bodhi clung to the bottle, biting his lip. “I just want to go home. Why are you doing this?”

“It's just business. Surely you understand.”

She stalked toward the door without a glance back. A woman entered as soon as she had left. “Vos wants you again.”

“Of course he does,” Bodhi muttered, struggling to his feet. He kept his arms wrapped around his ribs as he limped after her, Qi-ra's words playing in his head. They were looking for him, that much was apparent. He was going to have to take a risk very soon, if he wanted this to end without Cassian getting hurt. Hopefully he'd recognize the opportunity when it came up.

* * *

“Did you know that sleep deprivation is one of the tactics used by the military when interrogating political prisoners?”

Bodhi had slowly raised his head over his laptop, eyebrow shooting into his hair. “...okay?”

Luke tilted back in his chair, grinning. “Apparently, sleep deprivation can affect the body in a bunch of different ways, but it's effects on the brain are fascinating. It can lead to psychosis and susceptibility to having your thoughts influenced by others. It's supposedly pretty easy to manipulate someone into doing whatever you ask them to if applied under the right conditions. A lot of world governments see it as a necessary tactic, but some courts are starting to classify it as torture.”

Bodhi had frowned at him. “What are you fucking reading?”

Holding up the book in his hands, Luke had spun around in his desk chair. “It's a memoir about this mob interrogator. It's fascinating! He talks about all the different ways he used to get people to give him whatever information he wanted and how he learned it during his time in some secret government facility.”

“Dude, he probably made it up.”

“No, it's true. See, some of what he says sounds sensational, so I looked it up and a lot of it is. But this is real. Most of what he says is, to a degree. Some of these methods have been used as far back as hundreds of years ago. Most interrogation techniques are just trying to cause as much pain or make the person as unstable as possible in order to get them to start talking. Unbalance a person enough and they won't even know what they are saying. It'd be really easy to lead them to what you want.”

“Okay, am I going to have to petition the RA into giving me a new roommate?”

Rolling his eyes, Luke had thrown the book at him. “Just because I like reading about things doesn't mean I want to actually do them. There is a difference between reality and fiction you know.”

“But why are you reading this now? Don't you have an essay to finish for history?”

“I'm thinking of changing my subject again. I'm bored with my current one.” Luke's smile had covered his face. “Besides, this will be good research for that novel I'm writing. Everything else is just to make my mom happy.”

Now, curled up on his side, Bodhi understood what Luke had meant. He was tired in a way he had never been before. He hadn't bothered to fight back, just curled up when the hits started again. Had Vos asked him a question, he would have said anything to make it stop. But no questions had come. Instead, Vos had just sat in a chair while Bodhi had been forced to stand still for an indeterminate amount of time. Bodhi had been swaying by the time the first blow had come. He didn't know when he had started crying, only that he had. Things had ended when Qi-ra joined them in the room.

“You changed already,” Vos had said, eyes roaming across her body. “I did so love that dress from before. How did things go?”

“The meeting went about as we expected. I think we might have another ally soon.”

“Excellent. I knew I could count on you.” Vos had pulled her closer so he could kiss her cheek. “Take him away. See that he's secured.”

As tired as he was, he struggled to think about what was going to happen. He had managed to keep quiet thus far, but he didn't know how much longer he could. His thoughts were starting to blur together. His eyes drifted shut, only to snap open as he heard the door close. Blinking, he looked around, checking for a trap. For the first time in days, he was alone. The guard had left.

He sat up as carefully as he could, hoping to avoid any creaks from the bed he had been dropped onto. He grimaced as something stabbed his side; if his rib wasn't broken it would be a miracle. He listened for a moment, waiting. There were no sounds from the hall.

Fingers shaking, he pulled out the keys. Please work, he thought as he fitted them into the padlock on the chain around his ankle. He groaned in frustration, moving onto the next one. It took three tries before one fit. Carefully, he pulled the lock loose and set it aside, catching the chain before it could rattle. He moved toward the door, pressing his ear against its seam. He could hear nothing outside.

Part of him wanted to run. That little voice of reason told him not to. He knew he wouldn't get far, not with how he was feeling. He tried the lock on the inside of the door, hissing when he found it broken. He looked around, eyes settling on the wooden slats forming the closet door. The knife made quick work of them; he was able to jam a handful under the door, blocking it. Huffing, he looked around again, finding a small space behind a vent cover in the back of the closet. He pulled the doors shut, working the vent loose before sitting beside the opening. He was trembling all over as he pulled his boot off.

Holding the phone in his hand, he drew in a shaky breath. He hit the power button, nearly sobbing as it turned on. What if this didn't work? What if they caught him? What if there was no signal? What if no one cared—stop. He pushed away those thoughts, typing in the number he had memorized all those months before. He held his breath as the ringing started, counting them in his head. On the fifth, there was a click.

“Hello?”

Cold washed through him. He didn't recognize the voice. “Please, is Baze there, I need to speak to him right away.”

“He's away right now.”

He wanted to cry. “Please, this is an emergency. I need to talk to him.”

“He's unavailable. Please state your current location.”

“I—um...” Bodhi pressed the phone closer to his ear, hand cupping it's base. He thought he had heard a noise coming from outside. “I don't know where I am. It's some kind of abandoned hotel. Please, they're coming back! I don't have much time. Baze told me he'd answer—”

“This is Bodhi, correct? We're working with Mr. Malbus. We're trying to pin down your location, so just stay on the line a bit longer.”

Bodhi wanted to ask a question but he froze as he heard someone slamming into the door outside. He shoved the phone into the crawl space, pushing the vent back into place as the door broke apart. He covered his head as the closet door was ripped open and a set of hands pulled him out.

He stayed curled up as he was dumped on the floor. “Looks like he was trying to hide boss.”

“Clearly.” Vos's dry voice washed over him, making his skin crawl. “Check the closet. He must have been up to something.”

Bodhi held his breath as the man pulled the cover away from the wall. His body felt numb as the man handed Vos the phone.

For a moment no one moved. Then Vos hit call end before breaking the phone in half. Dread filled Bodhi as he threw the pieces onto the floor, crushing them beneath his heel.

“I tried—I really did. I tried to be nice, I tried to treat you fairly and this is the thanks I get. My hospitality gets belittled and I am lied to constantly. And now—now—you try and bring my enemies down upon us.” Vos's face twisted in anger. “You'll pay for this. I'm done playing games. Seeing as they now know where you are now, let's move this plan along, shall we?” He snapped his fingers.

Bodhi kicked at the man that came toward him. Now was the time to fight. He twisted out of the hands grabbing his arms, pulling the knife from his pocket. He stabbed it into his neck, shoving him as the man screamed. Ducking, Bodhi raced for the door, knee nearly buckling. He was sobbing as he stumbled down the hall. If he could make the stairs—

He was tackled before he made it. Despite his wound, the man was resilient. He pinned Bodhi to the ground, knife pressed to his throat. “Next time, slash, don't stab.”

Vos approached them, steps ringing in the hallway. “Tie him up. And search him properly this time! I want the head of whoever let this happen, do you hear me?! I am sick of this incompetence!”

The man slammed his head into the floor hard enough to stun him. He pulled Bodhi's head back. “You're dead now.” He slammed his head into the floor again.

Everything went black.

* * *

Pacing the room was doing nothing to release his anger. Cassian ignored the burning in his shoulder, as well as Baze's earlier advice to sit down. He had been refusing rest and pain medication—instead, he had taken to glowering at everyone that spoke to him.

“Cassian, we're trying,” Jyn muttered, watching him circle the room again. Baze had given up and gone back to the office downstairs, locking himself in with one of Kay's technicians. “Until he can get a call to us, we're doing everything we can.”

“It's not enough,” he snarled. “It's been three days. There has to be something!”

Leia picked up her phone when it pinged. She held it out to Cassian. “It's from Baze.”

Grabbing the phone, he read the text.

Baze: Call Chir. No ops.

“What is it?” Jyn asked, dark circles under her eyes standing out against her pale skin.

“I don't know yet.” He pulled out his phone, dialing the number. Chirrut answered on the first ring.

“Captain, we may have something for you. Can you talk?”

“I'm with Jyn and Leia.”

“Put it on speaker then. Jyn needs to hear this too.”

He tapped the screen and set his phone on the table. Perching on the edge of the chair, he leaned forward. “What did you find?”

“Nothing on Bodhi, but we might have a lead. We...” Chirrut hesitated, choosing his words with care. “One of Obi-Wan's contacts was able to find a connection to Vos. She's—she wants to talk to you. Says she has something to offer, but only if you'll agree to talk in person. She says you know her quite well.”

Cassian looked up at Jyn, who was shaking her head, eyes wild. “What else does she want?”

“Nothing. That's the problem.”

“Captain,” Obi-Wan's voice cut in, sounding distracted. “She came to us. We found an associate, who said she was looking for you specifically. While we were following leads, she approached us. She's smart. It's only a matter of time before she finds you.”

“Can we trust her?”

“I think so,” Chirrut said, not sounding entirely too confident. “She wants to meet in the next hour, says time is running out. She was alone and as far as we know, there was no one nearby. She says she wants to help, but she needs you for that.”

“It's a trap,” Leia said, studying Cassian.

“Probably.” He picked up the phone. “Send me the address. I'll be there as soon as I can.”

Jyn was in his face as soon as he stood up. “You can't do this! She's going to kill you.”

“Jyn, there's no other choice.”

“Yes there is! Tell Kay! Have him send his men in, they can stop her. Vos will be lost without her!”

“And Bodhi will die. You know as well as I do that this is the only way.” He stood up, shoulders dropping.

Shaking her head, Jyn grabbed his arms. “If you do this, I won't go with you. I can't.”

“I know.” He placed his hands on her shoulders. “But I'm still going.”

“Cassian....”

“I did the same thing for you once,” he whispered. He kissed her forehead. “You know the passwords on my accounts. If anything happens, get as far away from this as you can. Help Bodhi once you are able to. See to it that he survives this. I'm sorry that things didn't work out between us. I do love you. That will never change.”

“You're an idiot.” Her eyes were bright, lip trembling slightly. “Keep your phone on. I'll track it. And make sure to tell Kay where you are.”

“I wouldn't expect anything less.” He brushed the hair from her face. “Thank you for everything.”

“You'd better come back,” she muttered.

Baze cleared his throat in the doorway. “I take it he's going?”

“I am,” Cassian said, drawing himself up to his full height.

“Good. Get in the car. Leia, will you help Melshi downstairs? Call me if anything changes.” He nodded over his shoulder toward the fire escape. “Let's go. Little Sister, if you're not here when I get back, take care of yourself.”

“This is a suicide mission.”

“Probably.” Bazed shrugged. “But weren't they all?”

* * *

“How's the shoulder?” Baze asked as they drove.

“Fine.” Cassian's voice was strained.

“Is it? Care to explain the blood stain on your jacket?”

Cassian said nothing, turning to look out the window.

Sighing, Baze checked the map one more time before pulling off the main road. “He'll be fine.”

“You don't know that.”

Baze stopped in front of the warehouse doors, studying the surrounding area. “I do. He's tougher than people give him credit for. Stubborn too. He wouldn't have stuck around as long as he did if he couldn't handle this.”

“I never should have brought him into this. I should have cut this off before it got serious.” Cassian's voice was anguished.

“It wouldn't have made a difference,” Baze said, staring at the car parked down the road. “He'd have still found out and come after him, only the Pilot wouldn't have been as equipped to fight back. We did what we could. Now it's up to fate.”

“I thought you didn't believe in fate?”

“Don't tell Chir, okay? He'll never let it go.” Baze nodded toward the door. “Show time.”

They entered the building to find Chirrut waiting just inside the door, his face serious. “They should be here soon, but we might have a problem.”

“How so?” Baze asked, frowning as Obi-Wan hurried over.

“I've been in touch with my contacts. Vos knows she's coming here.” He held his hand up to stop them from interrupting. “In fact, one of my sources says that he sent her specifically to draw you out. He's done waiting, apparently, and plans to finish this today, one way or another.”

Cassian remained silent, face devoid of expression.

“How secure are we?” Baze asked, watching Chirrut for a reaction.

“Not as secure as I'd like,” he mumbled. “I've been in touch with Kay. He doesn't like it either, but he's letting us make the call. He says he can have his men put an end to this right now if we give the word.”

“But we still don't know where Bodhi is,” Cassian said, glancing up as footsteps approached.  
He kept his face carefully blank as Qi-ra strode across the empty space, the sharp clip of her shoes echoing off the tall ceiling. “Who did she bring?”

“You won't like it,” Chirrut said, sounding frustrated. “I can't figure out what she's doing.”

“Then we keep to the plan,” Baze said.

“Some plan,” Obi-Wan muttered, moving to the side.

Qi-ra stopped just short of the center, arms loosely clasped in front of her. She quirked her lips, eyes cold, as she waited.

Cassian stared back, settling into his business demeanor before he approached, leaving several strides between them. Neither spoke; their eyes roamed over each other, appraising. To Cassian, Qi-ra looked every bit the one in control of the situation; not a hair out of place nor a wrinkle visible in her pants and jacket. He knew what she was seeing—he had been in the same dress shirt and jacket since the attack. He could feel the wound in his shoulder seeping again and he knew he needed a shave. Still, he held his head high.

She gave in first. “Cassian. It's certainly been a long time. You seem to have done well for yourself.”

“Why are you here?”

“To make an offer.” She glanced at the others as they came and arranged themselves behind him. “Nothing more.”

“Where is he?”

“At the moment, in a bit of trouble. I must say, I do like this one. He's strong. Reminds me of that pain in the ass you used to bring everywhere.” She snorted. “He's driving Vos up a wall, which is frankly both amusing and annoying since I'm the one that has to deal with him after.”

“Then let him go and we can talk.”

“That's not my call to make.” She sounded sorry as she shook her head.

“Then what do you want?”

“You always did cut to the chase, didn't you?” She paused as Baze's phone rang, head tilting to the side.

Frowning, he fished it out of his pocket. It was an older model, one he rarely carried anymore; he had left his normal phone with the technician in case Bodhi managed to get a call out. He stepped to the side, eyes remaining locked on Qi-ra as she checked her own. “Yes? When? How much did you get? No, tell him I'll meet him there. Yes, okay, thanks.” He ended the call, eyeing Cassian warily. “Bodhi called, but they couldn't get a full trace, just an approximation. It, ah—it ended abruptly.”

“Because Vos has monitors in every room. They're hidden,” Qi-ra said, frowning at something on her phone. “He would have put a stop to it.”

Cassian rushed forward, grabbing her lapel; his face twisted into a snarl. “You know where he is! Stop this. I'll do whatever you want, just let him go!”

She had a gun out and pointed at him before he could react. “It won't do you any good. He'll already be moving him. Even if I told you where he was, you'd never get there in time.” She held her phone up as it started ringing. “That will be Vos. If I don't answer this, he will kill him.” Holding his eyes, she quirked an eyebrow. “Well?”

Huffing, Cassian took a step back, jaw clenched. Qi-ra nodded and lowered the gun, bringing her phone up to her ear. “Yes?” She listened to the voice raging on the other end, rolling her eyes toward the ceiling. “Did they really? I told you we couldn't trust them—yes, I did. No, no—don't do that. Because that will spoil everything. You came up with such a good plan, why let it go to waste over a minor technicality. Yes, that's all this is.” She held her hand up, urging them to stay quiet. “Yes, I think you should move forward. I managed to track down someone close to him. Yes, send the video, I'm sure it will be the push we need. I'll join you as soon as I have him.”

She glanced at Cassian as she hung up. “How much do you trust me?”

“I don't.”

“Good.” She handed him her phone, hitting play on the video that had popped up.

Vos's face filled the screen. “I am done playing games, Cassian. I have spent years tracking you down and this ends here. The lack of regard you seem to have for your little plaything is astounding, but I wonder if this will finally be what pushes you make a move.” The video panned over to show Bodhi kneeling in front of a man dressed in black. His hands were zip tied together in front of him, his chin resting against his chest. The man holding him pulled his head up, pointing his face toward the camera.

Cassian struggled to hold his anger in check. Bodhi's face was covered in cuts and bruises; a gash on his forehead bled freely, running into his closed eyes. The man shook him and for a moment his left eye partially opened before he slumped forward again. The camera turned back toward Vos.

“You have one hour or he doesn't walk away from this alive. We'll see who's life you care more about. I'll be waiting.”

Qi-ra carefully took the phone from his hands. “I can take you to him. This can end if you only say the words.”

“When do we leave?”

* * *

A sudden bump made Bodhi groan. He felt his head roll to the side, his nose bumping against something hard. The constant swaying was making him nauseous, or maybe it was the smell of exhaust...exhaust?

He opened his eyes, blinking against the darkness. For a moment, he panicked, unable to see anything until another hard bump sent him rolling into a curved metal surface followed by a sudden swinging that had him gagging up bile. Coughing, he realized he must be in the trunk of a car; that would explain the darkness and the smell. Closing his eyes, he waited for the dizziness to pass. Being in a car meant that something was about to happen, though it wasn't likely to be good.

Tugging against the ties around his wrists, he wiggled his feet. They were secured in a similar fashion. He pulled his knees up as close to his chest as he could in the tight space, sighing in relief. They hadn't taken his other boot, nor had they thought to remove his shoelace. Wiggling, he managed to catch it in his hands. It took some maneuvering, but he was eventually able to get the end through the zip tie and wrapped around his fingers.

“Fuck,” he cried, rolling to the other side as the car made another turn. He nearly dropped the lace. Gasping, he clenched his teeth, tears running down his face as the plastic tie cut deeper into his skin. “Okay, Bodhi, you can do this. Just like you practiced.” Baze had been pleasantly surprised that he had already understood the basics of how to break free. Bodhi had been embarrassed to tell him it was because one of his nannies used to like to make up stories about kidnapped children to scare him, telling him with glee just what could happen and how to get away, though she would laugh after. None of that is real, silly, she'd say, sending him to bed. Baze had actually made him practice it, though he had never secured the ties as tight as this. He could barely move and his fingers felt dead.

Twisting, he was able to get the end of the lace into his mouth, pausing so he could plan out his motions. If he had had both laces, this would have been easier, but he had to make do with what he had. Holding his breath, he kicked his feet down as much as he could while sawing with his wrists. He was beginning to despair when he felt the plastic pop. Crying in relief, he pressed his wrists against his chest, flexing his fingers to regain some feeling. His feet were easier to free; using the same technique, he frantically sawed the cord until it too broke free.

His hands flew toward the wall of the trunk, feeling around until he found the edge of the light well. In newer cars, he knew there was usually a release for the trunk; while the prospect of jumping out of a moving vehicle didn't exactly appeal to him, he was also willing to take his chances. His fingers scraped across the surface, cutting themselves on—

“Nonono...” He kicked the wall in frustration. Someone had been smart enough to remove the lever. Sighing, he let his head drop back onto the floor. He'd just have to wait until they stopped. They wouldn't expect him to have freed himself. Maybe he could get the drop on them.

The drive went on. Gradually, the roads got rougher and Bodhi found himself slamming into the sides and roof of the trunk with regularity. Having his hands free helped; he braced himself as best he could, fighting back the nausea. He was almost relieved when they finally came to a stop. He just had to be patient.

* * *

“How much longer?” Vos asked, drumming his fingers on the arm rest.

“She should be about ten minutes out, boss,” Aemon Gremm said, hand resting lightly on the steering wheel.

“And she has him?”

“Yes sir. Timmet confirmed it.”

“Tell her to hurry. I'm growing impatient.” Vos gazed out the window, studying the open ground. The field had long been abandoned, the carefully laid out rows falling into disrepair as dead stalks and freshly sprouted weeds formed patches around them. They were far enough out that no one would even think of looking here. By the time the bodies were found, if they were at all, he would be long gone. Vos knew that even then, the odds of Cassian's body ever being found was slim—he had people specifically to make sure that never happened. He rolled his head to stare at the man in the front seat. “Get him ready.”

“Right boss.”

Vos leaned back, humming to himself as man in the passenger seat got out. Eyes closed, he tapped his hand on the foot resting on his knee, head rolling to the side with a sigh as he heard a shout from the back. “Tell me, Gremm, why am I surrounded by so much incompetence lately?” he asked with a sigh.

“It's because you're too generous. I'll handle it.”

“See that you do. I don't tolerate second chances. Oh, and once we're back, take care of the loose ends for me.”

He was starting to become very irritated with the whole thing. At least the pay off would be worth it.

* * *

Bodhi gathered himself as he heard the key scrape against the lock. There would only be one chance; he'd have to be fast. He twisted so that his feet were pressed against the roof, lips pursed.

The man clearly hadn't been expecting him to kick up as hard as he could once the trunk opened. He fell back with a shout, landing hard in the dirt. Bodhi was out in a flash, knee buckling before taking his weight. He ran as fast as he could, tripping on the tangled growth. Hearing footsteps following him, he tried to run faster, to no avail.

Yelling, he twisted and fought back as best he could, almost breaking free; but too many days of abuse and dehydration had taken its toll and he found his strength waning. Vos's personal guard pulled him back toward the car, dumping him on the ground.

“I'll kill him!” The man was climbing to his feet, face twisted in rage. “That little shit, I'll—”

Gremm shot him before he could get another word out. “Useless.” He pointed the gun at Bodhi. “Want to try that again?”

“No.” He laid where he was, defeated.

“Good. You know, you're almost good at this. Too bad you choose the wrong side.” Gremm kicked him. “Get up. They're coming.”

Off in the distance, Bodhi could just make out a cloud of dirt rising into the air. He knelt where Gremm pointed, hands clasped behind his head trembling as he tried to control his breathing, staring at the ground. He ignored Vos as he walked up.

“Looks like he really does care about you. Too bad it won't help you.” Vos laughed, shaking his head. “Neither of you are walking away from this.”

* * *

“Remember what I told you,” Qi-ra muttered to the driver, eyes narrowing as they got closer. “Keep your head down and stay in the car. And don't get in my way.”

“I know, I know,” he said, gripping the wheel tighter. He braked when she tapped his shoulder, glancing back nervously. “Are you sure about this?”

“You need to keep your mouth shut,” she growled, climbing out of the back seat.

“Right.” He blew out a breath, hands clenched against the wheel. “Right.”

Qi-ra stepped in front of the car, bowing her head to Vos.

“Well? Did you get him?” Vos's impatience was visible, his eyes bugging out.

She smiled and stepped around to the far side. Opening the door, she reached in and pulled Cassian out; she gripped his arm tight, guiding him toward Vos. “Slowly,” she breathed into his ear.

He ignored her—he only had eyes for Bodhi, who was staring at him in horror. Hands behind his back, Cassian let her push him forward until they were ten feet apart.

Vos lifted his hands, spreading them out to his side as he started to giggle. He broke into a full blown laugh. “Oh, this is too perfect. After all this time, I'm finally going to get my revenge. You know, I really don't like it when people try and leave. And that little stunt you and that girl tried to pull was ridiculous. I already knew you were to blame for that raid. I know you set us up. Tell me, how long were you working for the police? For the FBI? How long were you in their pocket?”

Blinking slowly, Cassian said nothing.

Vos grew angrier. “The lies! The audacity! I took you in, I saved both of you, and for what?! To be treated like garbage. As if I didn't matter.” He held up a finger, wagging it at him. “I lost so much business because of you, do you even realize that? And what did you gain? I still found you in the end. And,” he pointed toward Bodhi. “I found him. Does this bother you? What's happened to him? Because all of this is your fault. All of this—it could have been prevented. Had you just paid for what you did.”

Cassian drew in a deep breath. He met Vos's eyes, trying to ignore Qi-ra slowly moving toward Vos. “I don't regret what I did back then. I only wish I had done more. You're insane.”

“How dare you.” Shaking, Vos jabbed his finger toward Cassian. “You're too much like your father, just a useless waste of space. I should have killed you then, but I thought I could change you, mold you into what I needed. That was my mistake. But you know, I won't make it again.” He signaled to Gremm, who grabbed Bodhi's hair, pulling his head back. “I should make you watch him slit his throat. It would only be fair. But I grow tired of this. I think we're done.” Vos pulled a gun from his jacket, aiming at Cassian.

“No!” Bodhi twisted in Gremm's grip, struggling to break free.

“Silence him now!” Vos screamed, spit flying.

Gremm kicked Bodhi in the ribs, knocking him down. He lifted his foot to kick him again.

“Vos!” Cassian shouted, bringing his hands around in front of him. He charged forward as Vos fired—the shot hit him in the chest, sending him to the ground.

Ignoring Bodhi's scream, Vos turned to find Qi-ra standing beside him, her own weapon raised. “What is the meaning of this?”

She glared at him, shifting the gun to shoot Gremm before he could react. A second shot assured he wasn't going to be rising again.

Turning red, Vos raised his gun to point at her. “So you turn on me too, my love?”

“I was never your love. You deluded yourself in thinking that.” She dropped the gun, stepping closer until her body was pressed against his. “And I don't follow your orders anymore.” She touched his face, watching as the moment of realization passed over it. Stepping back, she pulled the knife free from his chest, letting the blood drip onto her white jacket.

“He did warn you not to deviate from the original plan, did he not? Even he agreed you were growing too unstable. So he gave me a choice. Bring you under control, or end you.” She pressed the knife into his torso again, pushing out this time. “Looks like I made my choice.”

He looked at her, his eyes full of a grim wonder. “I never...imagined...it would be you,” he mumbled, legs growing weak. “After...after all I did for you...you...this is...”

She pulled the knife free again, scowling. “Everyone has a weakness. That's what you taught me. Except you forgot one thing. That means that even you have one. You should have known better than to trust me.”

He smiled as he hit the ground. “My weakness...you really are clever,” he whispered, blood dripping from his mouth. “How long until...you...betray him...too?”

Qi-ra said nothing, glaring as his eyes closed.

From across the way, Cassian sat up, coughing. “Fuck. That hurt more than I thought.”

“I tried to warn you.” She pulled Vos's ring from his hand, slipping it into her pocket. “Aren't you glad I told you to wear the vest?”

He didn't answer. He was holding his arms out, pulling Bodhi to his chest as he crawled to him. “I'm so sorry.”

“He shot you,” Bodhi said, tears running down his face. “Cass...”

“Shh, it's fine.” Cassian kissed his forehead, trying to hide his wince as he felt the ache in his ribs. “It was planned. I needed to distract him.” He tightened his arms around him, holding him close. “I couldn't let him hurt you again. I never—I shouldn't have let him have you this long. Bodhi, I'm sorry.”

“You actually came for me. Do you not have any self preservation instincts?”

Snorting, Cassian gently touched his swollen right cheek, brushing his finger across his shut eye. “You're one to talk. You should have just told him. You must hate me.”

“I could never.” He buried his face in Cassian's neck, letting his tears fall.

Qi-ra looked up when she heard a throat clear. She smiled as Han climbed from the driver seat, eyes wide. He gulped, nervously pointing back the way they came. “Qi-ra, you should get going. They'll be here soon. Kay said he can only give you ten more minutes.”

“Yes, thank you.” She studied Cassian for a moment. “Are we even?”

He nodded, keeping Bodhi's face against his neck. “We are. I'll hold up my end of the bargain, so long as you hold up yours.”

“None of mine will touch him again. We'll stay away from your people. You have my word.”

Nodding, Cassian closed his eyes, resting his head on Bodhi's.

She walked over to Han, resting her hand lightly on his arm.

“I, ah—I turned off the recording device,” he said, licking his lips. “Is this really the choice you want to make?”

“It is.” Hesitating, she leaned in and kissed his cheek. “I know where my place is Han. You need to find yours now.”

“I could come with you,” he said without any real conviction.

Shaking her head, she patted his cheek. “You have such a kind heart, you'd be miserable. Besides, you'd just be a liability. And I seem to recall a rather clever girl waiting for you to notice her. Pretty, too,” she said, shrewdly tilting her head.

“It isn't like that. She's...got someone else.”

“Really? Well, things can change. Goodbye, Han. I expect to hear that you've gone on to do great things.”

He watched her climb into the car and drive away. The words from earlier ran through his head.

“I don't like this,” Obi-Wan had said, once he had joined Qi-ra in the warehouse. “This feels like too many loose factors in an already dangerous situation.”

“I agree, but what choice do we have?” Baze asked, glaring at Cassian. “He's already decided he's going to go. At least this way, we can watch him.”

“How?”

“Wire him up. Kay will approve it. He can spin this in our favor.” Baze had crossed his arms over his chest. “Besides, who else could we send?”

“Me,” Chirrut said.

“Won't work,” Baze muttered, watching Cassian stare Han down. “If we're going to spin this right, we need people that can identify those involved, not just a video recording. And I can't go because they'd recognize me immediately. It has to be Han.”

“Can we trust him?” Obi-Wan asked.

Cassian turned toward them abruptly. “Tell Kay to wire him up as soon as possible. We'll meet you at the pick-up point,” he said to Qi-ra. “We've wasted too much time already.”

“So you'll accept my offer?”

“I will.” Cassian's voice was cold. “In exchange for Bodhi's safe return and Crimson Dawn ending it's hunt against my people, I won't turn you in. I'll give Kay nothing.”

“I will hold you to that,” she had warned.

“This only holds if Bodhi is alive. And I can't guarantee that Kay won't figure things out on his own. He's smart.”

“I just need enough time to complete my orders. Vos has become a threat to everyone. Change is necessary at the moment.” She nodded toward Han. “I asked him to help. Don't blame any of this on him.”

“Bodhi is my friend,” Han said. “I want to help.”

Nodding, Cassian walked toward Baze. “Get Kay in here. I know he's nearby.”

Now, Han watched as several vehicles turned into the far end of the field, lights flashing. “They're here.”

Cassian nodded, gently moving Bodhi back so he could look him in the eye. “There's not a lot of time. This isn't going to end well. Jyn can help you, after. She's made it so there is no connection between us, so you'll be in the clear.”

“Cass?” Bodhi asked, puzzled.

He brushed his hair back, gazing sadly at his injuries. “She's set up an account for you, it can't be traced. As soon as things die down, she'll contact you one last time to get it to you. I never wanted this to happen, please believe me. I love you, so very much.”

“Cassian, stop. You're scaring me.” Bodhi grabbed his arms, shaking. “We can still run, we can get away.”

“No. I can't run from this. Too much has happened. I'll be fine, as long as I know you'll be fine. I won't ask you to forgive me. I know that would be impossible.”

“There's nothing to forgive! Cassian, I love you! That's not going to change.”

Smiling softly, Cassian leaned in for a kiss as the first vehicle reached them. “You'll feel differently once the shock wears off. Believe me.”

“Cass, don't you dare do this,” Bodhi warned. He clutched him as men surrounded them, weapons drawn. “No!” he screamed as he was pulled away.

“Calm down, Bodhi. Let him go.” Baze pulled him back, trying to turn him away as Cassian was pulled to his feet and handcuffed. “You can't stop this, okay?” he whispered in his ear, chest pressing against his back. “Stop struggling and let Kay do what he needs to do.”

Bodhi was sobbing, desperately trying to pull loose. He watched as Kay approached Cassian, murmuring something to him before letting him be put in a patrol car.

“No,” he moaned, rushing forward. “Cassian!”

“I need a paramedic over here!” Baze yelled, tightening his grip on him.

Bodhi started screaming. “Cassian! Cassian!”

“Sir, please stop fighting, we're trying to help you.” The EMT helped Baze sit him down, trying to check his eyes. “If he doesn't calm down, we're going to have to sedate him,” she warned.

“Bodhi, stop this!” Baze leaned close, lowering his voice. “Don't make this worse, please. Let them help you. I can explain everything later.”

He finally went limp, letting them assess him. Cassian was gone.

He had never felt so lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we come one step closer to the end. Never doubt that I love these boys, even as I make them suffer horribly.
> 
> There will be a delay before the final chapter goes up due to travel and personal reasons. Fear not, as soon as I get the chance, I'll post it with haste.
> 
> As always, let me know if something needs to be tagged. Tags will be changing just before the final chapter goes up, but let me knew of anything gets missed this time around. I love all of you for sticking with this story. Happy reading.


	25. Chapter 25

“Well, it looks like we're finally in for some nice spring weather, everyone. Temperatures are going to be downright balmy, though I wouldn't put those coats away just yet as we do have a chance of rain coming up later in the week. I'll bring you more details in my next forecast. For now, Steve, Megan, I'm throwing it back to you.”

“Thanks Melanie. It's hard to believe that even with all this sunshine we still might have a little more winter left.”

“I know! Isn't it silly?”

Leia glanced up from her magazine, eyebrow quirking as the reporter on the news gave a simpering laugh. Snorting, she flipped the page before shifting in what had to be the most uncomfortable padded chair ever as she turned to study Bodhi. His eyes were tightly shut, head resting against the provided pillow. Beneath the bandages and bruises, he was pale, though she was pleased to see that the IV was starting to help. Among the doctors many concerns when he had been brought in, dehydration had been high on the list. She watched for a moment more, trying to determine if he was actually asleep this time. Giving up, she returned to her reading, stretching her legs out.

“Police were unable to give a motive for the robbery as the investigation is still ongoing. For now, it appears to just be a random occurrence. Back to you in studio.”

“Thank you Tom. We'll bring you more word once we have it.”

“In other news, little information has been released in regards to that suspected mafia kidnapping that resulted in numerous arrests. The leaders of a joint task force were planning to hold a conference later today, but it has been postponed until further notice. Officials have said that they are still conducting interviews and following up on leads. They are currently looking for others involved and fear that going public too soon could lead to a missed chance. We've been unable to get word on the condition of the alleged kidnapping victim Bo—”

Leia turned sharply to the side as the TV cut off. “You could have just asked me to change the channel, you know. I wasn't really watching it anyway.”

Bodhi said nothing. He dropped the control onto the bed, angling his body away from her as much as the cables and leads attached to him allowed. In truth, he had said little since arriving, mumbling answers only when it was required.

Sighing, she pointed toward the tray sitting by the bed. “You should try and eat something. I know they said you might be here for a few more days, but they won't let you leave unless you do.” Her words were met with the usual silence. “Bodhi.” She hesitated, choosing her words with care. “I won't pretend to know what you're going through, but you need to get better. Or at least try. We're worried about you, all of us. Even Luke.”

Hitting the button on the rail, Bodhi lowered the bed, keeping his head turned to face the wall opposite her. The fingers of his left hand bunched up the corner of the sheet, rolling and twisting it.

“Fine. But we will talk about this later.” Picking up her phone, she scrolled through her texts, typing out a quick message when she was startled by a soft knock on the door. “Yes?”

The officer assigned to guard the door peeked inside. “Visitors.”

Frowning, Leia hurried over. She pursed her lips, shaking her head. “He's not going to want to see you,” she warned Kay.

“Official business. He doesn't get a choice.”

Glancing over at Baze standing with Melshi a few feet back, Leia narrowed her eyes. “Can't it wait?”

“No.” Kay lowered his voice, trying to keep his words between them. “Not if there's a chance we can swing this in our favor.”

“I thought that's what you were supposed to be doing all this time.”

“There's been some...complications. He's not cooperating like he's supposed to and the DA needs someone to blame.”

“I don't think—”

“Leia?”

She stepped back into the room, surprised to find Bodhi propped up and watching them.

“Let him in.”

Hesitating, she looked between them. “Are you sure?”

Barely nodding his head, Bodhi leaned back against the bed. “It's alright.”

She walked over and carefully took his hand, smiling when he gave it a little squeeze. “I'll be just down the hall. I won't be gone long. Five minutes, tops. Yell and I'll come running.”

“Thank you,” he whispered, drawing in a shaky breath. He turned to study Kay as he stood at the end of the bed.

Baze nodded toward the hall. “Come on. I'll buy you a coffee. They just restocked the vending machine.”

Looking back once more, Leia followed him out, closing the door behind her.

For a moment, no one spoke. Bodhi finally cleared his throat, coughing as something caught. Without being prompted, Melshi handed him the cup left on the rolling table. Taking a small sip, Bodhi started again. “How is he?”

“He'll live. He did exactly what I told him not to do, so he'll be uncomfortable for a while, which quite frankly serves him right. They did have to redo Baze's stitches, though. They're moving him tonight, once he's released.” Kay's eyes roamed over his face, taking in the stitches and cut lip. Bodhi's right eye could barely open through the swelling. “He won't talk to us.”

“Can't blame him,” Melshi said, sounding tired. “He knows the district attorney wants to use him as a scapegoat.”

“And we can't let that happen,” Kay said, still watching Bodhi. “Cassian will let them railroad him for this, you know he will. And it will end badly. Which is why I'm here.”

Bodhi continued to stare at him, face blank. “I want to see him.”

Shoulders dropping, Kay sighed. “I can't arrange that. I'm sorry.”

Closing his eyes, Bodhi nodded. “I know. What are you planning?”

“That depends on what you plan on saying to us.”

Bodhi smiled.

* * *

Scowling at the automated coffee vending system, Leia watched as the boiling liquid dispensed into the paper cup behind the splash guard. “They couldn't have just invested in a Keurig?”

“Trust me, that would have just walked off within the first day.” Baze leaned back on the couch, head resting against the wall. “I've spent a lot of time in places like this, waiting. Anything less than a full on big machine like that will just be gone before you can use it. Who'd be crazy enough to try and wheel that out to the street?”

“Knowing some of mom's clients, plenty of people.” She took the cup and settled in beside him. “So Baze. How long were you an investigator?”

“Longer than I should have been.” He laughed when she pushed at him with her shoulder. “Over twenty years. Stopped doing it full time after Chirrut got sick—too much stress. Mostly worked different agencies after, some private work. Retired from it a few years ago, though I've kept my license active. Came in handy, didn't it?”

“Is that how you met Jyn?”

“It is.” Baze sighed. “She was a pain in the ass back then. She didn't know how to pick a fight she could win. She'd just jump in and try to make it out alive. Has she told you anything?”

“Only that she trusts you and Chirrut.”

Baze nodded. “She's the reason the weapons smuggling ring her parents were involved in got taken down. She sold them out. Fuck, she couldn't have been more than twelve at the time. There was a warrant out for her arrest for a while, until it just up and disappeared one day. She'd show up at our house sometimes, if she needed someplace to hide for a bit. It was always a trip to come home and find her sleeping on the couch while Chirrut watched his crappy shows.”

“Never thought about turning her in?” Leia asked, amusement bleeding into her words.

“A few times. But Chir wouldn't have let me, and besides...I don't think that would have helped. She needed someone she could trust. I couldn't have done it. Nearly got myself in a lot of trouble, too, because of that, but what can you do. It's brought us to where we are today.” He gave her a shrewd look, fighting to keep a smile off his face. “So...how are things going with you two?”

Sniffing, Leia turned away, sipping her coffee. “I have no idea what you mean.”

“Sure.” Baze chose not to comment on the blush spreading across her cheeks.

* * *

“And you're sure you're willing to do this?” Kay asked once again, unsure if he could trust him.

Nodding, Bodhi closed his eyes, suddenly exhausted. “Yes. Do you know when it will possibly be?”

“Not for a while. A few weeks at least. We'll be in contact.”

“Okay.” Bodhi bit his lip. “Can you have Leia come back please?” he asked in a small voice.

“Of course.” Kay glanced at Melshi before heading for the door.

“One more thing. What happened to—did—”

Kay sighed. “Vos is still touch and go at the moment. Whoever stabbed him knew what they were doing. Hopefully they can get him up and talking and we can move this forward.”

“It would also have been better if Solo wouldn't have 'broken' the recording device by 'accident' at the end,” Melshi said, fighting not to laugh.

“Nonetheless, it's over and we do what we can. With luck we'll get something out of him. I'd hate to waste this many years of work for nothing. Now, if that's all, I'll send Leia in shortly. I need to speak to her first.”

Bodhi waited to open his eyes until he had heard the door close. He froze, eyes wide as he stared at Melshi still standing in place. “What...?”

Holding his hand up, Melshi shifted the curtain to block the window in the door before stepping closer. “What you are doing is a brave thing.” His voice was soft, friendly even, as he handed him an envelope. “Not something many would do. He's a lucky man. More so than most.”

Bodhi's hand shook as he took it, blinking. “What's in this?”

“I can't really say,” Melshi said, smiling softly. “Though, I can imagine. Cassian doesn't change much, not even over this many years.”

Pausing as he tore it open, Bodhi glanced up sharply. “So you are one of his. I was right.”

“Yes you are. I'm right behind Jyn. Technically, I'm number two, though I obviously keep out of the day to day aspects. Cassian's the reason I was able to get out of that life, at least partially. I help him where I can. He's a good person.”

“I know.” Bodhi pulled out the paper inside, eyes skimming across the page. By the end, he looked as if he was fighting back tears. He looked at Melshi, distraught. “He can't mean this, can he?”

Sighing, Melshi turned to leave. “The Captain isn't always good about knowing what he wants, I'm afraid. It's his one major fault. If you ever need to get a response to him, just give it to me. I have a way. Get Jyn to give you my number once you get a new phone.”

“Tell him he's an asshole.”

Melshi nodded. “I will. See you soon, Bodhi Rook.”

When Leia walked in, Bodhi was crying, letter long abandoned on the bed. She picked it up, shoulders dropping as she read part of it. “Oh Bodhi.” Being careful of the cords, she climbed up onto the bed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She held him close as he turned to bury his face in her neck. She didn't know what to say, so she pulled him tighter against her.

* * *

“Well, what's it going to be?” Chirrut asked, grinning at Bodhi.

“I'm thinking.” He was sitting up in his hospital bed, right leg stretched out to the side. His eye was mostly open now, though the residual swelling made it difficult to see things clearly at times. Squinting at Chirrut, he tried to remember what had already been played. “Fine, I'm in. Call it.”

“Straight flush,” Chirrut said, tossing his cards down on the sheet.

“What?! You cheated!”

Laughing, Chirrut shook his head. “No such thing. I'm just that good. You owe me two bucks total now.”

Rolling his eyes, Bodhi gathered up the braille deck and put it back into the box. “I'd demand a rematch, except I don't want to owe you more.”

“What? Ten cents a hand too rich for you?” Chirrut tilted his head back, head angled slightly toward the door. “Hey handsome, where you been?”

Baze snorted as he walked up, leaning down for a kiss. “Talking to the nurse. They're getting ready to discharge you.” He watched as Bodhi slowly shifted his leg toward the edge of the bed, brace helping to stabilize his knee. “Offer still stands. You could come home with us.”

“I appreciate the offer, I really do. But Leia already insisted I move in for now and she won't take no for an answer.” He winced as he slowly bent his leg, testing just how far he could go. “I appreciate everything you guys have done though. It means a lot to me. Thank you.”

Baze nodded. “Any time.”

Since arriving at the hospital, Bodhi had never been alone for more than a few moments at a time. Leia had made sure someone was with him at all times, especially after he had gone into hysterics when a nurse had woken him up accidentally the first night. Ultimately, she had respected his wishes and sent most of their friends away. He wasn't ready to hear 'I told you so' or face any kind of judgment. In fact, he was barely able to think about the events at all. When the memories came back, he felt nothing but dread and fear. “How do you do it?” he asked, voice shaking. “How do you ever get past something like this?”

Chirrut smiled sadly. “A lot of therapy and people you can trust.”

“It gets easier over time. I know a few people you can talk to if you want. We can talk about it later. For now, just do what you need to do.” Baze nodded to Leia and the nurse as they came over with his paperwork. “We're here for anything.”

He signed his name to the forms, barely reacting when the nurse removed his IV. He frowned at the clothes Leia had brought.

“Don't give me that look. I had to borrow some of Luke's. Most of Cassian's apartment was destroyed, not that they'd let me in anyway. Some of it might be salvageable, but it'll take time.”

Saying nothing, he pulled the shirt over his head; he accepted Baze's help balancing as he pulled the sweats over his brace. He did roll his eyes when he pulled a pair of sandals from the bag. “Seriously?”

“Doc says no bending just yet, not until the physical therapist can evaluate you again. Flip flops seemed easiest.”

“Did you have to get yellow?”

Leia sighed in exasperation. “I didn't exactly have much of a choice, Bodhi. Just put them on and shut up.” She swatted at him playfully when he started laughing. “I could always go back for the pink ones.”

He sobered up once a volunteer arrived with a wheelchair. As he settled in, Baze picked up the crutches propped up in the corner.

“I asked if I could borrow Ray for the ride home. Plus, I believe we might have an additional escort,” Leia murmured in his ear, stepping back so they could leave the room.

They were taken out a back way, through an underground delivery area. Bodhi relaxed a little at that; Baze had let him know that while most had given up, there were still a few reporters that refused to leave; he really didn't want questions thrown his way just yet. Raymus Antilles was waiting for them, still with the expensive car; he nodded as he opened the door, stepping aside so Baze could help him slide in.

“Take care, Pilot. You know where we'll be.”

Nodding, Bodhi turned to face out the window. He couldn't stop the smile that formed when he recognized the man in the car opposite them. Pao raised his hand in a wave, a vaguely familiar woman in the passenger seat talking into her phone. Leia glanced at them before settling in beside him.

At some point in the long drive, Bodhi must have fallen asleep, head pressing against the window. His sleep had been troubled in the hospital; it seemed that just as soon as he fell asleep, someone was coming in to check his vitals, bring his medications, take him for a test, or just to ask him more questions. He often woke up disoriented—the first few nights he had flown into a panic, fighting to get away before realizing he was, in fact, safe. If it hadn't been for Leia, he didn't know how he'd have made it through—it was between her, Baze, and Chirrut that he calmed down enough to work toward recovery. Now, away from the noisy machines and constant intrusions, he relaxed enough to finally rest.

He gradually became aware of the lack of motion or sound. Groggily, he cracked open his eyes, noticing that they were in Leia's parking lot. “Shit, how long was I out?” he mumbled, fumbling for the seat belt.

“A while.”

“You should have woken me up!”

Leia shrugged. “You needed to rest. Besides, we've only been here a few minutes. Come on, let's head up.” She opened her door, eyebrow arching toward her hairline. “Ready?”

“Yeah.” He gathered the crutches, accepting Ray's help getting out.

“You'll get used to it,” Ray said. “Broke my leg years ago. Took some time, but they do get easier to use.” He hurried to pull the bags out of the trunk.

“Take those to the office,” Leia told him, following after with Bodhi. “Let me know if you need any help. Stairs or ramp?”

Bodhi eyed the six steps up to the terrace. “Ramp might be better right now.”

“Let's go, then.” She kept her pace even and slow, making sure to stay close to him without crowding. Though he had been practicing, he was tired by the time he reached the top, though according to his doctor, if the next scan showed an improvement in his knee, he might be allowed to start putting weight on it. “I bought a real bed for the office. It'll be better than the pullout bed from before.”

“You didn't need to do that,” he muttered.

“It's fine. It'll come in handy having an actual spare bedroom. Besides, I can just move my office stuff up to the loft. It's just being used for storage right now.”

He followed her in the door, sighing when he saw the couch. He knew he must have looked weird from the way Leia was watching him.

“I'll send Ray to go get your pills from the pharmacy. Why don't you sit down.”

“That sounds like a great idea...” he trailed off as he heard a thump coming from the hall.

“Leia, we need your help with—oh!” Luke froze in the doorway, eyes wide as he stared at Bodhi. Neither moved; in fact, they hardly seemed to breath.

“Luke, you were supposed to be gone by now!” Leia scowled at him.

Ducking his head, Luke blushed. “Well, sorry. We had a little problem. That bed you ordered didn't come with instructions.”

“Did you bother to google it like a normal human being?” Her tone was condescending, hands planted on her hips.

“No....”

Huffing, she started to open her mouth when Wedge poked his head out the door. “Nevermind,” he called. “Ray figured it out. Once we get the mattress in place, it'll be sheets and then done. Oh! Hey Bodhi! How are you doing?”

Saying nothing, Bodhi ducked his head. He missed the look the twins exchanged, as well as Leia mouthing for Luke to fix this.

“Bodhi...” Luke started, glancing around before looking at him again. He bit his lip. “I'm—ah. I'm sorry about—about...” He looked as if he was struggling not to cry. “I'm sorry about how I acted before—before...I never meant any of that! You've been my best friend for so long and I don't ever want that to change. And everything I said about...about...it—it was wrong. Mom and dad explained some of it. I—I didn't know.”

“You never know,” Bodhi muttered. “You form opinions and no one can ever change them.”

“You're right. I'm so sorry. I wanted to come visit you, but Leia told me to stay away. I—I know what I said was wrong, and I don't ever expect you to forgive me and that's okay. Just...I'm glad you're okay. He really loves you. Did you know that he called me, trying to find you? He sounded so desperate. I just—” He cleared his throat and reached for a bag against the wall. “Um, here. This is for you. You can throw it away if you want.”

He pulled out a plush toy, holding it at arm's length. Bodhi stared at the blue and white whale shark pillow, a cute little embroidered smile on its face. He took it with a shaking hand, frowning slightly.

“Remember that time we had gone to the pier and you saw it in that shop? I know you liked it but couldn't afford it. And I thought, since you're going to be stuck at home for a while, you might as well have something soft to sleep with and it was pretty cute and seemed kind of cheery and I'm just rambling now, aren't I, sorry—oh shit,” Luke moaned. “I made you cry.”

“I can't believe you remembered this,” Bodhi said, holding it to his chest. He was only loosely holding onto his crutches, swaying slightly as he sniffed.

“Well, I mean, yeah. I did. I might be a bad friend, but I try not to be a horrible one,” Luke mumbled. He looked at Bodhi hopefully. “Think I can have a second chance? Or, more accurately, twentieth?”

Bodhi held his arms out. “You're an idiot. Come here.”

From the doorway, Wedge shook his head as they hugged. “Well, he's going to be occupied for a while. Leia? Can you help us finish up?”

Luke finally pulled away, wiping at his eyes. “Um, do you need to sit down?”

“Probably.” He let Luke help him to the couch, sighing in relief as he eased down onto the cushion. Nodding when Luke held up a pillow, Bodhi carefully lifted his knee to rest on the coffee table. He was still crying, feeling overwhelmed by too many emotions in too short a period.

Luke curled up beside him, staying close without crowding him. “So...Leia told us what happened in the hospital. Wedge knew a little from—from before. He was helping on the case. He, ah—he got his promotion, which is great. I mean, obviously this whole situation was horrible! I really thought...I'm so glad you're here.”

“Me too.” Bodhi's face screwed up. “At first I thought, maybe it would be okay...but by the end...”

Shaking his head, Luke squeezed his hand. “Don't. We can talk about this later. Or never, if you don't want to. Although...”

Sighing, Bodhi hugged the shark pillow to himself. “Just say it, man, before you burst.”

“If you ever do talk about it, please tell me everything! It would make such a good novel, maybe even a movie, and I'm a great listener, you know I am! I'll even pay you, so don't answer just yet. Wait a bit to think about it and then we can talk and—Bodhi?”

But Bodhi was no longer listening. He was laughing too hard, head dropping onto Luke's shoulder. “You never change, do you?” Wiping the tears from his eyes, he continued to laugh. “I missed you.”

“Missed you too,” Luke said, biting back a grin. “Still friends?”

“Obviously.”

“Good. So, want to hear how my latest pitch went?”

* * *

“So...next week, huh?”

Bodhi nodded, leaning back against the seat. His leg was aching after his therapy session, knee slightly swollen. More than anything, he just wanted to go home. Today had already been too long. “It's just a preliminary hearing. Kay's not even sure if they'll actually call me to testify.”

“They will,” Baze said, glancing over as he stopped at a red light. “They're trying to build a case against him. They talk to everyone they can.” He hesitated, weighing his words. “Right now, though...you don't have to do this. We can take you home.”

“No,” Bodhi mumbled. “If I don't do this now, it'll just get worse. I just want to get it out of the way.” No one said anything for the rest of the drive. Bodhi scowled out the window at the hotel they pulled up to; his anxiety was rising rapidly.

“Remember, we'll be right here,” Chirrut said, taking Baze's arm as they walked inside. “Call us immediately if you need anything.”

“I will.” Leaning on the single crutch he had graduated to using, he stared at the bank of elevators. He really didn't want to do this.

This time, his family hadn't bothered to pick a restaurant. When his father had called, demanding that he meet them, he had learned that Walden had booked a suite. Which meant yelling was about to be involved. Bodhi hadn't told Leia where he was going—he had a feeling that she wouldn't approve. And he really couldn't blame her. Upon arriving on the correct floor, he slowly made his way down the hall, limp still fairly prominent. At least it was unlikely that he would be facing knee surgery any time soon. And being able to put weight on his leg again was a wonderful feeling.

Knowing it would do no good to linger, he knocked on the door, gulping as it was pulled open. Patricia stared at him, eyes concerned. “Bodhi...”

“Hello, mother. It's been a while.”

“Close the door,” Walden called from the other room, voice cold. “We have a lot to talk about.”

Dropping her eyes, Patricia stepped back and let Bodhi enter. He knew the layout of the rooms, even if he had never set foot in this particular hotel—the places his family usually chose never varied. To the left, a kitchenette and dining table. To the right, the bedrooms and spa. And once past the entry area, there would be a sitting area, decorated in generic bland colors and furniture. He had spent a lot of time growing up in rooms like these. There was rarely any variation. Walden was sitting in a stuffed chair, glaring at them as they walked up.

“Walden, please be nice,” his mother whispered, settling nervously into her seat next to him.

Bodhi refused to meet his father's eyes as he sat down on the couch. Instead, he gazed out the wall of windows, admiring the view. He could see for miles, noticing the nearby park and a shopping center. He wondered if it would be possible to see the coast on a clear day or if they were still too far away.

“Not going to say anything?” Walden scoffed, lips twisted into a sneer.

Sighing, Bodhi set his crutch aside. “What do you want me to say?” he asked, exhaustion weighing down his words as he studied the floor.

“You know exactly what I want to hear from you,” Walden hissed. “How could you be so stupid? To get involved with the mafia! Do you know what kind of position that puts us in? Do you even care?”

“It's not what you think, dad.” His words held no real conviction, knowing that they weren't ready to listen yet. His parents needed to yell before they would even begin to hear what he was trying to say.

“Isn't it? You—I never expected you to be the stupid one. Your brother, yes. But you? I had hope for you. I thought that you at least had some kind of brain. Apparently, I was wrong. So what were you? Just how long have you been involved in all this? And what were you planning?”

“I wasn't planning anything.” Rubbing his temple, he glanced at his father. “I wasn't 'involved'. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. You know how the media likes to sensationalize everything.”

“Don't lie to me!”

Bodhi froze, holding his breath. From beside Walden, his mother jumped, hand coming up to cover her mouth. Walden's breathing was labored, face bright red. He had never seen him this angry before.

“Don't you fucking lie to me. I know the truth. I had someone investigate that little 'boyfriend' of yours. If he's even really that. Oh yes,” he said, watching was Bodhi's eyes widened. “But I told you about that. And they found some interesting things, let me tell you. How long have you been working for them?”

“Dad, I can't...I can't say anything. Not until after the trial has concluded. But I can promise you it's not what it seems. If you just let me explain what I can—”

“You tell me everything now, or there will be consequences. I've been entirely too nice to you thus far, Bodhi. I've been more than lenient when it comes to letting you do what you wish over the years and it's time I put my foot down. You are an embarrassment to this family!”

He finally snapped. Bodhi snorted, rolling his eyes. “Oh, yes, I'm the embarrassment. I guess you've forgotten all of Benji's little problems over the years. How much money have you had to pay to keep him out of jail?”

“Don't try and shift things. We're not talking about Benjamin. We're talking about you,” Walden growled, fingers digging into the arms of the chair.

Bodhi nodded. “Right. Because my name being linked to a suspected mafia member, regardless of the reason, is worse than Ben bringing one to your party. Or trying to get her to invest in a business deal. Or trying to sleep with her, because we all know what Ben was thinking that night. He wasn't very subtle, but then again, he never is. He knows that if he just throws enough money around he'll get his way, won't he?”

“This isn't about him! This is about you royally screwing everything up!”

“How? By being kidnapped and tortured? By nearly dying? Because I did, you know. I could have died.” He glared at his father. “If you cared about anything other than your stupid image you'd see what's right in front of you. I know for a fact that Detective Esso has spoken to you, which means all these questions you're asking are pointless. In fact, they make you look like an idiot.” He started to giggle, unable to hold it back. “Oh my god, you are such a hypocrite. As long as there is no noticeable scandal, then you can pretend to be a good person. Money can't help you with this, can it? Too many people are watching and you have no control. You already know everything, so what do you really want?”

“Bodhi...Walden...both of you—please calm down,” Patricia whispered, eyes shining with tears. “You're both going to say something that you'll regret. Please stop this.”

“I will regret nothing,” Walden said, glaring at Bodhi. “He started this, so it's on him.”

“Sure. Let's make everything my fault. Isn't that how it's always been?” Bodhi couldn't keep the bitterness out of his voice. “Just tell me what you want already.”

Walden's eyes narrowed, his lips pursed into a thin line. “That detective told me a lot of things, you are right about that. He also told me that he wants you to testify at the upcoming trial. I forbid you from speaking at it. Our family's name has already been dragged into the spotlight enough. If you go through with this, then it's over. You'll lose everything. Your inheritance, your home, and your family. So what do you plan to do? I want an answer today.”

His words continued run through Bodhi's head long after he had left the suite. It wasn't so much the fear of the threat as it was the very idea. Benjamin had done far more than Bodhi ever had and had never had to face this kind of consequence.

Thanking the older couple once he was back at Leia's, he climbed out of the car and slowly made his way up the stairs. He didn't bother knocking; she had given him a new set of keys as soon as he had settled in. “Leia, I'm back. I—” He froze in the doorway, eyes wide.

On the couch, Leia and Jyn were wrapped up in each others arms, Leia partially on her lap as Jyn ran her hands up the back of her shirt. At his words, Leia had startled, pushing away from the kiss they were sharing in her haste to untangle their limbs. Clearing her throat, she tried to straighten her cloths, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. “Bodhi! You're back early. How was therapy?”

“Good. How was...” he gestured toward Jyn, who was sprawling in the corner of the couch, a lazy grin on her face.

“Hey Bo. Nice to see you up and about.”

He shot her a mock glare as he hung up his bag on the coat rack, completely ruining the effect by smiling. “Hi Jyn. How are things?”

Leia jumped to her feet, cutting Jyn's words off. “Bodhi! I bet you haven't had lunch yet. How about I make some food, okay? And you should probably be going, right?” She forced a grin at Jyn before hurrying from the room.

Rolling her eyes, Jyn walked over to Bodhi. “I'm glad you're okay, Rook.”

He shrugged. “Me too. Have...have you talked to him lately?”

Shaking her head, Jyn glanced away. “You know I can't go anywhere near him right now, even if Kay would let me. I did hear about the letter. He's a moron.”

Bodhi gulped, trying to laugh away the cold feeling that spread through him. “Yeah, well, it's typical of him, isn't it?”

Jyn nodded. “That is true. Melshi said he told him off for you. Oh! Before I forget...” She grabbed a box off the coffee table and handed it to him. “This is your new phone. All the important numbers are in it. I even added a folder of pics of the two of you from what I had. You can delete that if you want. Melshi's number is in there as well. Good luck on Monday, alright?”

Tucking the phone into his pocket, he let her hug him. “Thank you. See you soon?”

“Obviously.” She wiggled her eyebrows as she left.

Leia found Bodhi a few minutes later sitting on the couch playing with the settings of his new phone. She handed him a plate and settled in on the other end, ignoring the smirk Bodhi sent her way.

“So...I thought Jyn was never allowed to set foot inside this place?”

Sniffing, Leia tilted her head to study the ceiling, blushing. “We had some business to discuss.”

“Uh huh. Sure you did.” Taking a bite of the sandwich, he leaned back and smiled. “As long as you're having fun.”

“Shut up, Bodhi.” She huffed at him, rolling her eyes. “So how'd it go with your family.”

“Oh, it was great,” he said, sarcasm dripping from his words. “My father yelled, my mother cried. Benjamin is apparently freaked out about Qi-ra and is being super paranoid, at least according to my father. On the plus side, he probably won't be coming around anytime soon. Oh! And I've been told I'm not allowed to testify at Vos's trial, whenever that finally happens. Or Cassian's.”

“What?! Has your father gone insane?”

Bodhi shrugged. “He's his usual hard-ass self. He ignores everything until it causes problems for him. Then he freaks out. He doesn't like that the family name is being brought into the light and as such he gave me an ultimatum. Either I do as he orders or I'm out of the family.”

Leia looked at him in shock.

Nodding, Bodhi set the plate aside. “So now that I've been officially disinherited, do you think you're mom's joke about adopting me still stands?”

“You know it does. Quit being silly.” She watched him, looking for a reaction. “How are you doing?”

Snorting, Bodhi turned to grin at her. “You know, I should feel bad about this but I really don't. I think now that the shock has worn off, I'm actually feeling pretty good. It's kind of a relief, actually. They were pretty toxic to be around. I think I'm going to be much happier now.”

“Good.” Leia grinned back. “It's about damn time.”

* * *

It should have been intimidating, being surrounded by lawyers and armed guards, with numerous members of different law enforcement branches present; and yet, Bodhi felt perfectly at ease. Even Cassian's shocked expression upon seeing him hadn't rattled him. Somehow, being kidnapped by a psychopath was far worse than any preliminary hearing could ever be, though he had a feeling he would feel differently once he was asked about his time with Vos.

“Mr. Rook, just how long have you known Cassian Andor?”

“For over a year now.”

“And how long have you been working for Detective Esso?”

“Slightly less than that.”

“How did you meet Andor?”

“Through a mutual friend.”

“And were you aware of his...'occupation'?”

Bodhi smiled. “I was. He was very open and honest about it. In fact, it was Cassian that introduced me to Detectives Esso and Melshi.”

“And why was that?”

“Kay told me that the informants they were using to share information had been compromised recently and they needed someone who wouldn't be suspected. I was unemployed at the time and wanted to do something productive.”

The prosecutor narrowed his eyes. “How long were you two in a relationship?”

“We weren't. We pretended to be in order to keep suspicions away.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cassian's lawyer, Kanan Jarrus, nod slightly. The prosecutor looked as if he had been forced to swallow a lemon.

“You were seen out in public being quite affectionate with each other. Care to explain?”

“That was something the three of us discussed and agreed to in order to draw out one of the leaders of Crimson Dawn. Obviously, it worked a little too well,” Bodhi said, voice dry as he shifted in his seat.

“What kind of information did you carry back and forth?”

Shaking his head, Bodhi said, “I honestly don't know. It was safer that I never learned what was in the letters.”

“Your honor,” Kay said, scowling from his seat. “Those letters were given to you along with the names of our informants. It would be best if we can keep their names out of it.”

“We'll be deciding that later based on what else is presented today. Proceed.”

“Thank you, your honor.” The prosecutor glared at Bodhi. “How much were you paid by the defendant to work for him?”

“I wasn't. I was paid by Detective Esso a nominal fee for my work. I've submitted my bank records to support that.” He kept his face blank, smile in place. This was where it could get tricky. “You will find exactly three payments that were not related to this work, all of which were put into my account by a private investigator in order to create a trail to draw out Dryden Vos.”

“So you knowingly took the money?”

“It was never touched and was returned promptly once Vos was no longer being sought. I believe the money was ordered to be placed in my account by Detective Esso's commanding officer. Vos was a high priority target at the time.” His eyes flicked toward Draven, sitting beside Kay; there was no reaction.

“And were you aware of just what this could implicate you of?”

“It was fully explained to me before had. I signed numerous waivers before hand as well.” And thankfully both Jyn and Melshi were good at forging documents.

Where Bodhi learned to lie, he couldn't say. It had been a skill he had picked up as a child and over time he had mastered it. It had proven useful in school, letting him get away with almost whatever trouble he had found himself in (with a few notable exceptions). He knew the proper way to keep his breathing even, to hold eye contact for the right length of time; it was a skill, and as long as no one looked too close, he knew he could pull it off.

“And it is in your own words that there was no relationship between you two?”

“Not as defined.” Steady breaths, he thought, don't fuck up now. In the back of his mind, he worried about what Cassian might have said, though he relaxed as he caught Jarrus's subtle nod once again. “Given the circumstances of what happened recently, do you honestly think I would have a reason to lie right now?”

“From witness accounts, it seemed pretty natural.”

Bodhi shrugged. “It was natural. Cassian is quite handsome; in fact, he's just my type. In any other circumstance, I would have definitely slept with him.”

“Your honor,” Jarrus said. “I would like to point out that those witnesses were connected to Dryden Vos. Each one has since been arrested. This shows that the plan set up by Detective Esso worked as they hoped. I would also like to point out that if my client's involvement with law enforcement were to get out, it would likely jeopardize twenty...two—twenty-two cases currently being investigated or awaiting trial. It's also been noted that Mr. Andor has been actively working with detectives to bring down Vos for a number of years.”

“Nonetheless,” the judge said, reading over the papers before him, “Mr. Andor is facing quite a list of charges.”

“Which we aren't disputing. We're merely asking to keep records of this involvement sealed. Mr. Andor has agreed to keep helping as much as he can, but if this information gets out, it could cause a bigger problem. Mainly the loss of a valuable informant.”

Draven stood up, cold gaze sweeping over the room. “It would be of far greater value to keep his cover intact, especially seeing as Crimson Dawn is still active. Cassian's information network has been invaluable to us in the past and I'd like to continue to make use of it.”

“Very well, let his involvement be sealed. Mr. Prosecution, make sure your team is fully aware of this fact and handles it accordingly. Mr. Defense, if you have nothing further to present, we'll send your client back to holding until a trial date can be set up. Are all in agreement?” The judge waited until both sides confirmed before turning toward Bodhi. “Mr. Rook, I know what you went through was difficult. Thank you for your testimony here today. We will be in contact with you soon about the trial date for your kidnapper.”

“Thank you, your honor.”

Keeping his head held up high, Bodhi was careful not to look in Cassian's direction as he walked out, his steps as measured and even as he could make them. He didn't turn to look back. It never ended well for those that looked back.

* * *

“And in other news, jurors today delivered a not guilty verdict for suspected gang member Jeron Andor on two counts of assault, though they did find him guilty of extortion. Sentencing will resume tomorrow, though it is suspected that the prosecution will ask for a reduced sentence due to extenuating circumstances. As you remember, Andor was wounded in a shootout with the leader of a high profile mafia leader back in the spring. We asked officials if there has been any word so far about the woman seen with Andor at the time, but as of yet their leads have not panned out. It is believed that the leader, Dryden Vos, was the founder of the Crimson Dawn. He is currently scheduled to be tried starting next week, after a lengthy investigation and the arrest of several affiliated groups. It seems unlikely that it will last long—in fact, we've been hearing that a verdict should be available before the end of October. We're going to check in with our correspondent for more—”

“Bodhi? Come on back, we have a room ready for you.” The nurse smiled as he approached her. “Looks like you're doing better. How are you feeling?”

“A bit tired,” he mumbled, trying to tune out the television mounted on the wall. “Didn't sleep well last night.”

“Oh no! Knee?”

Shrugging, Bodhi followed her down the hall. “Not really. Just had a lot on my mind, I guess.”

“I'm sorry to hear that. I'll let the doctor know. So, any plans for Halloween? I can't believe it's next month! Boy, time really flies doesn't it?”

“I guess it does.”

* * *

(One year later)

The guard raised an eyebrow, head tilted to the side. “I gotta say, Andor. I'm gonna miss you. You have to be one of the nicer prisoners I've ever encountered.”

Cassian shrugged, feeling his face heat up. “Can't say I'm going to miss this place.”

“I bet you won't.” Laughing, he turned and collected the pouch with Cassian's belongings. “Check if anything is missing before signing. I'll buzz them to come get you. Oh—and I don't want to see you back here, understand?”

His smile didn't reach his eyes. He searched through the bag, finding everything that he usually carried waiting for him, minus his phone; he hadn't taken it that day that he had left Jyn behind. There hadn't been a need, even if he had promised her that he would. He hadn't intended to return. No, the only goal had been to rescue Bodhi. He had been willing to forfeit his own life that spring day a year and a half ago.

He shuffled toward the corner to change into the clothes left for him, ignoring the guard standing silently by the door. He could feel his glare, though he had grown used to that while in jail.

“Alright, they're ready for you. Don't do anything stupid.”

His lips barely twitched as he followed his escort out into the waiting area. Kay was waiting for him beside a uniformed cop that he didn't recognize and—

Wedge nodded. “Long time no see, hey Andor?”

Ducking his head, Cassian gulped as he was handed over.

“Congratulations, you've been released. Well done on the good behavior, blah blah blah.” Kay gestured toward the door. “Let's get going. We have quite the drive before we reach our destination. They told you you'd be getting an ankle monitor once we get there?”

“They did,” he mumbled.

“Good. Come on.”

Wedge fell in beside him as they headed for the door, the uniformed cop trailing behind them. Cassian cleared his throat as they stepped out into the overcast sky. “I, ah—I know I have no right to ask this, but...how has Bodhi been?”

Wedge scowled at him before rolling his eyes. “Ask him yourself.”

Startled, Cassian looked up and froze. Sitting on the hood of a car, legs crossed beneath him, Bodhi waved at them.

“He wouldn't shut up about you the closer it got to your release date,” Wedge muttered, keeping his voice low. “Practically drove Luke up the wall. Even Leia got annoyed after a while.”

Cassian barely heard. He hadn't moved since spotting him, only stumbling forward when Wedge tugged at his arm.

Kay was glaring at Bodhi. “You're paying for any dents in that.”

Sticking his tongue out, Bodhi slid to the ground. He slowly walked over, hands tucked into the pockets of his tight black jeans. Cassian recognized his old jacket; Jyn must have given it to him. Bodhi's face was clean shaven, his hair shorter than when they had last seen each other. He appeared to be waiting for something, his head to the side. He finally lifted his arms part way, a hopeful smile on his face. “Well? Aren't you going to hug me?”

Cassian's face twisted up as he grabbed him, arms wrapped tight around his waist. Sniffing, he tucked his head into Bodhi's neck, holding back his tears as Bodhi shushed him, wrapping his arms tightly around his trembling shoulders.

“Why are you here? I didn't think...”

“Did you really think I'd leave you? Even if you told me to? If you did, then you're an idiot Cass.” Bodhi reluctantly pulled away as Wedge tapped his shoulder. “Fine. But we're making out in the car just so you know.”

The first real smile cracked Cassian's lips as he followed Bodhi into the backseat. True to his words, Bodhi pulled him in for a kiss, hands holding onto his face. Cassian gladly went with him, crawling partway into his lap. He didn't know how much time had passed—it could have been an eternity, it could have been seconds—before he heard the front door open.

“Get a room, you two.”

“Seriously? After all the things I've walked in on you and Luke doing? Kissing is what bothers you?” Bodhi rolled his eyes at Wedge, reluctantly moving away as Kay joined them and signaled for Wedge to start driving.

Cassian stayed as close to Bodhi as the seat belt would allow, shifting until he could catch sight of the following patrol car in the rear view mirror. “What happened to...?”

“Reassigned,” Kay said, glancing back. “Voluntarily.”

Nodding, Cassian leaned back, suddenly exhausted. “Okay.” His hand found Bodhi's on the seat, squeezing it tightly.

After several turns, he found it harder to keep his eyes open. He jerked when he felt Bodhi tug at his arm. “Come here. Lay down already.”

Sighing, he leaned his head against Bodhi's chest, eyes drifting shut as he felt fingers run through his hair. He was out before the end of the block.

* * *

Someone was brushing a finger across his cheek. Blinking, he tensed up, momentarily disoriented as his eyes flew open.

“Hey, it's okay. It's just me.”

Sagging in relief, Cassian slumped back against Bodhi. “Hey. I'm alright.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Sorry, I just—”

“It's fine. We're almost home.”

Cassian blinked again. Hours must have passed while he slept. It was dark out, warm light spilling from windows as they hurried down the street. “Home?”

Bodhi shrugged. “It's Leia's really. I'm just renting it. It's easier to be out here; not as many nosy neighbors.” He sighed as they pulled into the driveway, watching as several people came to meet them. “Kay, I gotta say, I hate your welcoming committee.”

“Be glad I was able to wrangle this. You asked for quite a lot,” he said, climbing out as soon as the car stopped.

Sighing, Bodhi hurried after him. “Wait! I have the keys! Just let me—”

Cassian smiled nervously as Wedge lead him toward the stairs. “So...how are you liking the promotion?”

“It's been great, actually. Apparently I managed to impress Draven enough when—after Bodhi—well, they liked what I did and after Sergeant Melshi got transferred, I started working with Kay. Is...?” Wedge lowered his voice as they approached the stairs. “Is he always so...”

“Robotic?”

“Yes!”

“As long as I've known him. He's got very strong opinions about everything.”

“Glad to know I'm not crazy then. No one else seems to notice it.”

“I've often thought you could use him to fake a Turing Test for AI.”

Wedge's eyes widen. “Shit, I never thought of that before. Now I kind of want to try it.”

Cassian snorted as he stepped inside. “Good luck getting him to go along with that.” He sobered quickly as he saw the men waiting for him, monitor in hand. He sat down, head low. From around the corner, he could hear Bodhi arguing with someone about damage to a wall.

“All set. Make sure to keep it dry when you shower. Baths would probably be easier.”

“What's the range?”

“About half way down the driveway. Same for the back.”

“Got it. Thank you.” He didn't move as people began to clear out, shoulders slumping slightly.

Wedge leaned in close, speaking quietly into his ear. “If you do anything to hurt Bodhi, either directly or indirectly again, I will put a bullet in your head, do you understand?”

“I do. Thank you.”

Clapping him on the shoulder, he turned away. “You're a good man, Andor. Terrible choice in soccer teams, though.”

He snorted as Kay walked over to glare at him. “If you maintain your good behavior, Draven might be able to get this removed early. As it stands right now, you've got two years of probation, one of which must be served as house arrest. At any time, one of us can and will show up for a surprise inspection. You may leave the house with approval, subject to change at any moment. An escort may be required during those times. You are allowed contact with certain—individuals—but they will need to be approved first. Bodhi can go over more with you later.”

“Alright.” Cassian nodded, lifting his eyes to stare at him. “Kay...thank you.”

“You owe me as soon as this little deal you made wears off. Remember that.”

“I know. I will.”

Kay nodded and hurried out, slamming the door behind him.

Bodhi peeked out from the kitchen. “Please tell me they've all left,” he muttered, hurrying to the window. He sighed in relief as he saw the gate close behind the last car.

“Bodhi—”

He cut him off with a vicious shake of his head. Pulling out his phone, Bodhi typed something in, moving slowly from room to room; Cassian stayed silent until he returned from upstairs with an exhausted expression on his face. “At least they didn't bug the house, though I think they might have added some cameras outside.”

Cassian stood up and held his arms out; he recoiled when Bodhi stepped away.

“Food first. You look like you're starving.”

He slowly followed him into the kitchen, hesitating beside a table set for two as Bodhi pulled a baking dish from the fridge. “You're mad at me, aren't you? You hate me.”

“I don't hate you, Cassian. But I am mad,” Bodhi huffed, closing the microwave and setting the time. He turned to glare at him. “What the hell were you thinking?! You were just going to let them blame you for everything! Are you that big of a self sacrificing moron? I mean seriously? What was there to gain?”

“I just wanted to keep you safe,” he whispered, staring at the floor.

“Well, that didn't work, did it?” Bodhi sighed as Cassian flinced. “I didn't mean that. Cass, I'm not mad about Vos. It wasn't pleasant, certainly. I still might need to have knee surgery sometime down the road. It's...it's taken a long time to get past that. I didn't—I don't sleep well sometimes. I had hoped that...maybe it will be better now that you're here.”

“Do you mean that?” he glanced up, eyes bright.

“I do. I missed you so fucking much. I kept thinking that my feelings would change with time, but they didn't. Thinking about you, knowing you were all alone...it hurt. I never got to tell you that I loved you after—”

“I love you too. I never stopped loving you. Not for a single moment.”

Bodhi smiled, holding his hands out. He stopped Cassian at arms length, studying him. “I knew you wouldn't leave me there and that—that scared me. I thought—no. I knew. I knew he was going to kill you and I—I don't think I could have survived that. So yes, I'm mad at you. I'm mad that you put yourself in danger, I'm mad that you put yourself someplace where I couldn't follow. I'm mad that you—you told me to stay away. You told me to leave.” He sniffed, tears starting to spill over. “That, more than anything, that you told me to leave, that you—that you didn't believe that I would still love you...”

“Bodhi—I...I never wanted you to go,” Cassian whispered.

“Then why did you write that? What else could it have possibly meant? I've read and reread that letter so many times since—I just want to know why?”

“Because it was my fault that you got hurt. If it hadn't been for me, they never would have come for you. Once they figured out that I was the one passing on information about them, there was nothing else for them to do. They knew that only you or Jyn could get me to come out into the open. And I let it happen. It's all my fault.”

“No it's not,” Bodhi said, wiping at his eye. “I should have told you what I was planning to do that day. I just didn't think they'd have the nerve to actually show up there. How often does Kay work with the FBI?”

“Only for the bigger cases.” Cassian smiled ruefully. “Since when did you know?”

“Since that first delivery.”

“My beautiful, clever boy.”

Bodhi smiled, leaning in to peck him on the lips. “Yeah, well, there's a certain feel to places like that.”

“How long were you helping him without us knowing?”

“Not that long. Just after Qi-ra showed up.” Bodhi hesitated. “She helped you, didn't she? Why?”

“She had her orders. Vos...Vos was becoming a problem. I promised not to say anything else, not yet anyway. I'm...” He hesitated. “I promised to give her a head start. Kay knows. He doesn't like it, but then he doesn't like anything.”

“Then I'll let it slide. For now.” The microwave beeped; turning away, he nodded toward the cabinet above his head. “Grab some plates. We can finish talking as we eat. And then, I think I'm owed some snuggle time.”

“As much as you want. I love you, Bodhi Rook. I'll give you anything within my power to give.”

Bodhi smiled and set the dish on the table. “Hearing that a few more times might help make me forget to be angry. But we will need to talk about everything. I can't go into something like this again blind Cassian.” He held up a hand. “Not right now. In a day or two. I think we both need a chance to recover. This...this hasn't been easy.”

Cassian settled into his chair, rubbing at his wrist. “I thought about you, every day. I missed you so much, it...”

“Ached like your heart was breaking? Mine too.”

“Whatever I can do to make it up, I will. I owe you the world. That he even had the gall to touch you...I wish I had stabbed him myself.”

Bodhi took his hand, smiling softly. “Well, I'm glad you didn't. Because then I still wouldn't have you here right now. And while I'm a patient person, I don't like to wait. So here's what I propose. You think you owe me, but you don't, not like you're thinking. But I do need to know everything. No more secrets. Okay? Especially since you're all I have left.”

“Okay. Your friends...?”

“They're still around. My family, however...well, they weren't worth the pain.” He laughed, covering his face. “God, it's like suddenly realizing you can fly after being told you don't have wings for so long.” He caught Cassian's pained expression. “Trust me, this is much better. And if you want me to leave, you'll need to tell me so in person.”

“I don't want you to, not ever. Not unless you want to go.”

“Good. Because I'm not planning to leave.” Bodhi started serving the food, scowling at his plate. “They burned my car, you know? I quite liked that one, too.”

“I'll buy you a new one.”

An impish light filled his eyes. “You already did. I got a really good deal on a Rogue. And, well, I couldn't resist the name.”

Cassian shook with suppressed laughter. “Bit obvious, isn't it?”

“Subtlety is no longer my thing.”

Smiling, Cassian ducked his head. “I can't believe you lied under oath for me.”

“Well, you weren't going to do it. And besides, the Rogues need their captain.”

Frowning, Cassian tilted his head. “But they have Jyn.”

“And Leia.” Bodhi swallowed his bite, nodding. “Oh, yes, you probably don't know. Apparently Leia and Jyn are now a thing. It's a little freaky. They put up with no shit from each other, so there's been a lot of arguing. Also, living with them was almost worse than Luke and Wedge. At least they closed their door.” He grinned as Cassian started laughing. “Oh, yeah! Luke and Lando started a bar. Lando's been using it to entertain prospective clients without having to spend money. Ellie's their bartender. She's amazing—she sets Lando's spending limit based on his needs and willing cuts Luke off. I guess having to be in charge of ordering helps keep her from drinking all the profits.”

“I'm glad they're doing well.”

“Yeah, well, Luke still bitches about how it's his bar and if he wants free drinks no one should stop him.” Bodhi rolled his eyes. “He's also a producer on a show that will be coming out soon, based on a book he wrote that's loosely based on our relationship.” He nodded, sighing. “There's hardly any truth in it, but when has that mattered. He even managed to get Han cast as the lead, if you can imagine. I assist him when he needs help drawing up documents. Otherwise, I'm Leia's personal assistant now. The Rogues love her. She gave them a choice after...well, she offered assistance to anyone that wanted to leave.”

“How many?” Cassian asked, voice calm as he reached for a second helping.

“Not as many as you're thinking.” Bodhi shrugged at Cassian's curious expression. “I'm not lying. Only a handful got out. Leia got her mom to help them. The rest stayed, though things have changed a bit. Those that are higher up now know about you and Kay working together. The Rogues are officially double agents now, sanctioned as a deep secret that is only known to a select few that Draven trusts. Wedge will probably know soon enough. And there's one more thing...”

“Which is?”

“I want in.”

Cassian blinked, food forgotten. He stared at Bodhi, studying the earnest expression on his face. “You...?”

“I want in. I'm not letting you go somewhere that I can't follow. I've thought about this long and hard. I'm aware of the risks, but at least as a member I'll be better equipped to deal with everything. And besides, I think I've proven that I can handle myself. So? Is that a yes?”

Cassian found himself mirroring Bodhi's smile. For the first time in a long time, he didn't pause to think over his answer. “I think we can find a place for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So hey, I messed up. Big time. Next "chapter" will explain things a bit. Sorry and thank you.


	26. Chapter 26

(So, hey! No new chapter, but an explanation about the last one)

So.... I messed up. Big time. I accidentally uploaded the wrong version of the last chapter. The intended one as a lot longer with more of an explanation as to the motives and background of some of our characters. And due to the author being a clumsy fool, the correct chapter may be lost forever.

Long story short, I loaded the wrong one onto my phone and then killed my laptop by spilling soup on it. It was not a great day.

Rather than pull this down and try and recreate the correct chapter, it will be easier to just reopen this story and "fix it". Be advised, it might take some time, depending on if my computer survives (even though it can't connect to the internet, it's been my faithful friend for too long). I love all of you and I hope to do this story justice. Thank you for everything. See you (hopefully) soon.


End file.
